Ccme october 2015

INDUSTRY NEWS FLASH

ASHRAE releases Legionellosis Standard

OCTOBER 2015

m onito r ed b y

AWARDS 2015

23 NOVEMBER 2015 JUMEIRAH EMIRATES TOWERS, Dubai, UAE

Theme

Inter-connected in thought and execution: An inter-connected, integrated and cohesive approach to the planning and execution of projects

THE CATEGORIES  Manufacturer of the Year (air treatment)  Manufacturer of the Year (air movement)  Manufacturer of the Year (ventilation)  Manufacturer of the Year (Fire safety)  Building Envelop of the Year (contributing manufacturer)  O&M Company of the Year (IEQ)  Independent Testing Laboratory of the Year (IEQ)  Architect/Architecture Firm of the Year  District Cooling Consultant of the Year  District Cooling Contractor of the Year  District Cooling Utility Provider of the Year  Rental Cooling Firm of the Year  O&M Company of the Year (District Cooling)  Manufacturer of the Year (chillers)  Manufacturer of the Year (cooling towers)

GO L D S P ONS OR

 Manufacturer of the Year (hydronic systems)  Manufacturer of the Year (pumping systems)  Manufacturer of the Year (controls)  Manufacturer of the Year (water and wastewater treatment systems)  Manufacturer of the Year (standalone DX, including VRF)  Manufacturer of the Year (outdoor cooling systems)  Project of the Year (standalone DX, including VRF)  Standalone Project of the Year (contractor/ contracting firm)  Consultant/Consulting Firm of the Year  Independent Testing Laboratory of the Year (energy efficiency)  Manufacturer of the Year (high-side refrigeration equipment)

S ILVER S P ONS OR

C ATEG ORY S P ONS OR

 Manufacturer of the Year (low-side refrigeration equipment)  Manufacturer of the Year (supermarket refrigeration equipment and furnishings)  Manufacturer of the Year (transport refrigeration)  Manufacturer of the Year (transport refrigeration – body building)  GCC Region Manufacturer of the Year  Sustainable Project of the Year  Solar Photovoltaic Thermal System of the Year  Editor’s Choice Award  Paradigm Shift Agent of the Year  Marketing Initiative of the Year  HVACR Accessories Provider of the Year

HVA C Total Solut i on Part n er

A S S OCIATE SPON SOR

BRON ZE SPON SOR S

St rat egi c HVA CR Recrui t men t Part n er

Faisal Jassim Trading Co. L.L.C We bring life to your building

www.climatecontrolme.com/awards

Medi a Part n er

IndUStrY neWS FlaSH

ASHRAE releases Legionellosis Standard

OCTOBER 2015

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGNS

VISIT US!

IEQ IN SCHOOLS

HEADLINE HVACR MEDIA PARTNER

‘There's a need for creating education leadership that is conscious of IEQ’

23 - 26 November 2015 Dubai World Trade Centre

IEQ IN HEALTHCARE

COUNTRY FEATURE

Poor IEQ in IVF clinics could reduce fertilisation success rate

COUNTRY REPORT

IRAN

With Iran’s landmark nuclear deal with world leaders, the country’s HVACR sector is expecting better times ahead

TURKEY

Turkish manufacturers are making a mark in global markets, as Turkey’s export sector grows

An eye on equilibrium can the Gcc region strike a balance between its energy-efficiency targets and IEQ requirements? Or will it have to sacrifice one for the other?

HEADLINES

Carrier signs agreement with 7-Eleven

Daikin offers worldwide free access to patents for HFC-32 equipment

COP21: COUNTDOWN TO PARIS

Johnson Controls, Hitachi finalise global joint venture agreement

EIA on negotiating a global agreement on HFCs under the Montreal Protocol

PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

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contents VOL. 10 NO. 10  OCTOBER 2015

page

10

COVER STORY

BALANCING THE EQUATION Governments across the Gcc region are strengthening efforts to reach set energyefficiency targets; but are there measures in place to meet IEQ requirements? What can the HVAc industry do to achieve equilibrium between the two goals?

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGN

IEQ IN

IEQ IN

SCHOOLS page

22

HEALTHCARE

‘Environment literacy must become mandatory for both teachers and school leaders’

page

28

‘At most, students have to make do with poorly ventilated and dilapidated classrooms’

Are educators in the UAE paying proper attention to the IEQ situation in their schools? Dr farooq Wasil, of Goldline Education, says they lack the awareness required to do so.

page

38

CASE-IN POINT Breaking the mould A mushroom farm in Oklahoma used UV light systems to address mould and corrosion problems in its coils and reduce maintenance costs at the same time.

4

October 2015

page

32

A teacher in the Philippines, Lorelee D Asignacion brings insider information on the poor conditions in which students in the Southeast Asian nation are expected to learn.

‘The effects of gaseous contaminants on the IVF process is significant, resulting in a threefold decrease in success rates’ Good IEQ is a must in in-vitro fertilisation clinics and laboratories. AAF International’s Prasad Natraj explains why and shares effective air filtration methods.

page

40

PERSPECTIVE Energy management – a ready reckoner Energy management entails making buildings more comfortable, healthy and safe, while saving energy and money, say Yogesh Kulkarni and Nitin Mane of Niyo MEP Engineering consultants.

page

56

COUNTRY FEATURE: IRAN Entering the HVACR race The landmark nuclear deal between world powers and Iran has been hailed a triumph by many industry players in Iran and elsewhere. HVAcr industry leaders share their views on the current state of the industry and how lifting sanctions on Iran will widen opportunities for the sector. by rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

page

44

MARKET FEATURE

COUNTRY 60 REPORT: TURKEY

REGULARS

page

Keeping IT cool In today’s data-driven and Internetreliant society, keeping data centres running and properly cooled is a must.

Industry insiders share best practices and cooling technologies.

Making a global mark In the last decade, Turkey’s HVAcr sector has turned its attention to the export market. Superior technology, backed by r&D, the rising number of manufacturers with international certifications and quality standards, improved marketing techniques and a well-established after-sales service regime, are few of the reasons for the sector making a mark globally, say industry experts. by rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

ED'S NOTE

06 Mould knows no barriers

NEWS 78 88 92 93 94

regional Global Associations & societies comings & Goings Marketplace

HISTORY 98

Will the real inventor stand up, please?

Willis Haviland carrier

page

50

PERSPECTIVE Getting into the groove Simon Ouellette, of Victaulic, discusses buried pipework installation challenges and explains why mechanical joints are increasingly popular today for buried piping applications.

A collection of stories, in anticipation of the 21st Session of the conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework convention on climate change

64

page

Making history: Negotiating a global agreement on HFcs under the Montreal Protocol

page

UAE makes it to the list of the top 10 countries for LEED Green building

74

#DEWA calls for Expression of Interest (EOI) for 800MW Phase three of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park #dubaiGov

DEWA | Official Page @DEWA_Official

October 2015

5

Mould knows no barriers hile mould is a ubiquitous presence in the built-environments across the GCC region, why is the response of building owners to the scourge so alarmingly varied?

I was recently talking to the engineering director of a hotel in the UAE. For a good 30 minutes or so of our hour-long conversation, all he spoke of was how his team and he were combating mould. He went on to describe what were truly herculean efforts, ranging from ripping off carpets in entire wings in the hotel to changing the skirting, and from of course, addressing HVAC design issues to retrofitting rooms with newly available solutions. Despite all the remedial measures, he said, the mould manifested its formidable reputation for stubbornness.

At least, the engineering director, or for that matter, his tribe in the hospitality industry, have launched a sustained martial campaign on mould; the same cannot be said of many other sectors. In buildings across the region, the attitude towards battling mould is nothing short of cavalier. While many are downright ignorant of the health hazards mould can pose, those that are aware, choose to be dismissive. In a popular commercial high-rise in Dubai, the stairway was infested with black mould. When one of the tenants complained, the facilities management team tasked with maintaining the tower hurriedly repainted the walls, without addressing the HVAC design issue, which in the specific case of the building had to do with the oversizing of the air conditioning equipment.

In yet another building, the infestation was the result of a large volume of cold air being dumped into the premises, owing to dysfunctional control valves. To begin with, the design process had been faulty. The building was meant to be constructed at another site but had later been relocated. Due to lack of space at the new location, the design orientation was rotated by 90 degrees without accordingly altering the original design.

At least in that case, the building owner, recognising the severity of the issue – 90% of the built-environment was covered in mould – gave an ethical response by calling in a team of HVAC experts, who as an immediate solution recommended continuous heating throughout the premises.

The need of the hour is not islands of response, though, but a collective campaign with strong enforcement mechanisms.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Indoor Air Quality guidelines, sufficient epidemiological evidence is available from studies conducted in different countries and under different climatic conditions to show that the occupants of damp or mouldy buildings – residential and public – are at increased risk of respiratory symptoms, respiratory infections and exacerbation of asthma.

The message is clear – there is need for urgent action from all stakeholders, for in the realm of health and well-being, compromise is not an option.

W B Surendar Editor @BSurendar_HVACR

INDUSTRY NEWS FLASH

ASHRAE releases Legionellosis Standard

OCTOBER 2015

EDITORIAL CAMPAIGNS

VISIT US!

IEQ IN SCHOOLS

HEADLINE HVACR MEDIA PARTNER

‘There's a need for creating education leadership that is conscious of IEQ’

23 - 26 November 2015 Dubai World Trade Centre

IEQ IN HEALTHCARE

COUNTRY FEATURE

Poor IEQ in IVF clinics could reduce fertilisation success rate

COUNTRY REPORT

IRAN

With Iran’s landmark nuclear deal with world leaders, the country’s HVACR sector is expecting better times ahead

TURKEY

Turkish manufacturers are making a mark in global markets, as Turkey’s export sector grows

An eye on equilibrium Get the next issue Can the GCC region strike a balance between its energy-efficiency targets and IEQ requirements? Or will it have to sacrifice one for the other?

HEADLINES

Carrier signs agreement with 7-Eleven

Daikin offers worldwide free access to patents for HFC-32 equipment

COP21: COUNTDOWN TO PARIS

of Climate Control Middle East early!

Johnson Controls, Hitachi finalise global joint venture agreement

EIA on negotiating a global agreement on HFCs under the Montreal Protocol

PUBLICATION LICENSED BY IMPZ

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Visit our website: www.cpi-industry.com/digital Also available at

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CEO Nadeem Hood Associate Editor Pratibha umashankar | prati@cpi-industry.com Contributing Editor Anoop K Menon | anoop@cpi-industry.com Assistant Editor Fatima de la Cerna | fatima@cpi-industry.com Features Writer Rajiv Pillai | rajiv@cpi-industry.com Design Genesis Salao | getty@cpi-industry.com Events & Marketing Leader Ruqiya Shariff | ruqiyah@cpi-industry.com Events & Marketing Leader Kathleen Rebello | kathleen@cpi-industry.com

6

October 2015

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October 2015

Photo courtesy paintings / Shutterstock.com

call for action In end-November, world leaders from over 190 countries will gather in France for the 21st Session of the conference of the Parties (cOP21) to the United Nations Framework convention on climate change, also known as the 2015 Paris climate conference. Their primary charge: arrive, once and for all, at a binding agreement that would mitigate global warming. Their audience: peoples and communities the world over, who have banded together to stress the need for global action on climate change. They have been marching and rallying and speaking up. Now, they want answers and results. (For related stories, see pages 64 and 74.)

October 2015

9

COVER STORY

Walking a tightrope There is a pervading belief in the HVAc industry that pursuing energy efficiency would entail sacrificing the quality of indoor environments and vice versa. but how valid is this belief, and what is perpetuating it? Are attempts at achieving a balance between energy-efficiency goals and IEQ requirements really nothing more than exercises in futility? by fatima de la cerna | Assistant Editor

I

n June of this year, CPI Industry, publishers of Climate Control Middle East, held the 8th edition of The Climate Control Conference. The two-day event comprised an 82-topic agenda covering issues pertinent to all phases of construction. Two of those issues were energy efficiency and Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ). Such was their relevance to the discussions that participants brought them up repeatedly during the course of the event, either as topics independent of the other or as a part of it.

Among those who painted both as linked components of a green builtenvironment was Jagath Gunawardena, Senior Manager for Projects and Building Development at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. When asked to talk about the Dubai Chamber headquarters, widely lauded as a model of sustainability, Gunawardena revealed that the Chamber is enjoying not only energy savings but also high levels of staff satisfaction. He attributed the latter to good IEQ. “People love to work in the organisation,” he said, “which means their output needs to be looked at as part of sustainability. The focus should not be limited to energy savings, because that would only mean cutting off the waste. Occupant comfort has to be maintained, because it’s important for people to be happy and healthy. Occupants should not be constantly reminded, by the quality of their indoor environment, that there is an active energy savings programme.”

A conundrum

Considering the accolades Gunawardena has received for his efforts to elevate Dubai Chamber headquarters to its current iconic status as the first building in the Gulf region to be awarded the LEED certification for Existing Buildings, there is no doubt that he knew what he was talking about when he endorsed aiming for both good IEQ and energy efficiency.

10

October 2015

We’ve got different bodies looking at IEQ and IAQ. And different bodies looking at energy efficiency, and they are not talking with each buildings other with

But is it an easy goal to achieve?

Going by the pervasive industry sentiment that pursuing one would involve sacrificing the other, the answer would be ‘no’. In fact, Charles Blaschke, General Manager of taka solutions, voiced this exact sentiment when he spoke during the June conference. “When we start to operate a building and try to save energy, there is a big conundrum,” he said. “And that is the balance between IEQ and energy [efficiency]. I think everyone knows that you either get good energy performance or good IEQ. To balance the two is very hard.”

Moving in different directions?

On why achieving this balance is such a challenge, Brian Suggitt, Managing Director (Middle East) of Systemair, points to an alleged disconnect between organisations pushing for good IEQ and organisations promoting energy efficiency, as one reason. “We’ve got different bodies looking at IEQ and IAQ [Indoor Air Quality],” Suggitt explains. “And different bodies looking at energy efficiency, and they are not talking with each other. We see events organised for one and the other, but not for both.”

He discloses that while there have been attempts to link IEQ and energy use in the past, he doesn’t think they’ve worked, because the two groups are working towards different goals, as separate units.

“If we want to have energy-efficient

healthy indoor environments, we need to find a way to get those two groups to work together and towards the same goal – a major difficulty,” he says, and goes on to add, “Those looking at just sustainable energy use outnumber the other group. IEQ and IAQ are not getting as much attention here as sustainability.”

Jordan Baker, Regional Manager – Middle East Gulf at Greenheck Fan Corporation, makes a similar observation: “There are few players out there – consultants and contractors – who understand the importance of IEQ, which is focused on long-term benefits for building owners and occupants. Unfortunately, in the region, we continue to face the harsh reality that IEQ is valued less than fancy washbasins and door fixtures.”

Elaborating on this, he recalls how, on numerous occasions, he has experienced going into lounges that are “far too smoky to be comfortable”, to restaurants “filled with smoke and/or odour from the kitchen” or to offices “where there are only two climate options: sweaty hot or freezing cold”.

These problems, he states, can be either avoided or addressed by applying foresight to aspects of design and implementation, and with just a few extra dollars.

October 2015

11

COVER STORY

From a different angle

A few extra dollars, however, can be a costly hurdle.

Money matters

Suggitt, noting that the CAPEX-versus-OPEX argument continues to be waged in the Middle East market, stresses that industry stakeholders must display acceptance of costs to be able to achieve the desired balance between IEQ goals and sustainability aspirations.

“Most people,” he says, “when you present your ideas to them, will express enthusiasm about it.

They’ll go, ‘That’s great. Sure, let’s do that. Wait, it costs how much? No, we’re not doing that.’ What people don’t realise is that when they invest in the building, the day they make that investment is the day they start saving money.”

Expounding on his point, Suggitt adds that one problem he has noticed in the Middle East is the presence of people who develop and sell buildings but lack real interest in them.

“Their interest is a return on their investment,” he says, “but if they only thought about selling a building with all the advantages of energy efficiency and indoor environmental control, they’d realise that they may just get a higher price for it or have an easier time selling it. It’s an education process to make people accept a different kind of thinking.”

jasim Mohamed Al Ali

changho Lee

brian Suggitt

Hassan Sultan

Consumer protection jordan baker

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12

A change in perception, Jasim Mohamed Al Ali believes, is exactly what people need, and acknowledges that current interest and efforts are skewed in favour of sustainability at the expense of IEQ – a situation that ESMA is working towards correcting. “When we compromise in one area,” Al Ali, the Acting Head of Internal Conformity at the Conforming Affairs Department of ESMA, says, “we are basically going around in circles, for any compromise we make today, we will pay for later. Balance should, therefore, be the end goal. Good IEQ and energy efficiency should run parallel to each other. They should be in sync. You cannot have one without the other.”

When asked to elaborate on this, Al Ali answers: “If energyefficiency measures do not serve the interests of your indoor environment, then you are not actually being efficient. Efficiency means harmony and equilibrium, and that’s what we at ESMA are trying to do – achieve equilibrium. Why? When we speak about IEQ, for instance, we talk about air quality, lighting and temperature, but we also talk about noise and energy. Science tells us that for noise to be generated, energy must be converted to sound, which means that if an AC unit is noisy, some of its power, some of its energy is being converted to noise. That’s not efficiency. The same thing can be said of lighting. A lamp that generates a lot of heat is consuming power to do that, and it should go without saying that heat also affects the room environment.”

Efficiency, Al Ali emphasises, is therefore not just about how much energy is being consumed but also about how much of the energy being consumed is successfully converted into the needed end-product. He elaborates, “If people looked at the issue from that perspective, they would realise that while there will always be losses, those losses could be controlled.”

One way of controlling losses, Al Ali says, is by using products that have been tested and proven safe and reliable – an area where ESMA can help. “With regards to air quality, for example, we are checking for hazardous substances or materials in products like plastic and paint, to eliminate toxicity-induced illnesses or diseases,” he highlights.

October 2015

To know if a product complies with UAE standards and to determine how energy-efficient it is, Al Ali advises consumers to be guided by the conformity assessment and energy-efficiency rating schemes of ESMA. He explains that products have to pass the assessment to be granted the licence to use the Emirates Quality Mark (EQM). As for the mandatory rating system, he claims that with it in place, appliances like air conditioning units now carry labels identifying their power consumption, making it easy for consumers to choose products according to their energysaving potential.

“The target of the UAE is to be the leader in everything,” he claims. “And that includes being a green environment. At ESMA, we are developing programmes that highlight energy efficiency, because in the end, you and me and everyone else, we are just simple consumers. Who is going to tell us what is inefficient or efficient? The seller or the factory? We need a scheme to make that information available and accessible, so we are not dependent on claims from manufacturers and will not be manipulated by false advertising.”

For products to be approved by ESMA and allowed entry into

October 2015

13

COVER STORY

“To align ourselves with what ESMA Science is expecting from us,” he says, tells us and reveals, “We are releasing new models in November that that for will offer consumers higher noise to be efficiency.” the UAE market, they have to He claims, however, that be registered and supported generated, energy must while LG and several other by test results from credited companies are keeping track laboratories, Al Ali says, be converted to sound, with what is expected of adding: “We want to clear which means that if an them and complying with the market of non-compliant set standards, there are still products, because when I AC unit is noisy, some of cheap, substandard products say the UAE wants to lead, its power, some of from other countries that find I mean it intends to be the their way into the UAE market, number one in the world. The its energy is being and cheat consumers through country has everyone’s attention converted to bogus claims. “As an industry, our now, especially Dubai, because of primary concern should be to give Expo 2020. There’s also the 2022 noise. That’s not consumers value for their money as World Cup in our neighbour, Qatar, well as protect the environment,” he says. and several other international events that efficiency will be held in the region. We are expecting a lot of visitors to come, which means our infrastructure and our regulations must be aligned with global standards.”

Regulating the GCC region

Al Ali reveals that ESMA shares its regulations with the rest of the GCC region, in an effort to bring about harmonised standards and to make it easier for manufacturers to supply products to member countries. In the meantime, however, the rest of the GCC countries have adopted their own sets of regulations dedicated to environmental concerns.

“Qatar has already established its own assessment scheme, called Global Sustainability Assessment System or GSAS,” says the former President of the ASHRAE Qatar Oryx Chapter, Hassan Sultan. “The assessment criteria take into consideration various categories related to sustainable development and its impact on environmental stress mitigation, with each criterion elucidating the requirements of reducing environmental stress.

In total, GSAS assesses eight categories, including indoor environment and energy efficiency.”

For Changho Lee, General Manager of the RAC Division at LG Electronics, whatever standards the governments in the GCC region are adopting, he believes that they have the best intentions in mind. “I have strong belief and trust in the governments in the Gulf,” he says. “Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, especially, have very high standards designed to keep lowquality products out of the market.”

Strict enforcement – a must

High standards and regulations are of no use, though, if they are not strictly enforced and observed, Suggitt points out. “As far as regulations are concerned, we are all right,” he says. “But somebody has to enforce them, because they are meaningless if they are not implemented. And they have not been strictly implemented in the last 40 years. Nine times out of 10, contractors will do what they want to do, instead of adhering to what is required by the specifications. Without firm guidance, people will just take the routes they wish to follow.”

Lee, sharing Suggitt’s perspective, observes that ESMA’s regulations, in particular, are placing pressure on manufacturers to develop new technology and produce more efficient solutions.

14

October 2015

“And so my expectations from ESMA are that it will carry out more inspections and will make enforcing stricter regulations a priority.”

While Baker has the same viewpoint on the need for regulations and their enforcement as Suggitt and Lee, he also thinks that the consumers or clients themselves have an important role to play.

“Clients are the key to achieving [good] IEQ and energy efficiency,” emphasises Baker. “The supporting elements to clients and consultants, meanwhile, would be requirements set forth by local codes and the efficiency requirements of each country. And while a few are currently moving to embrace both, we won’t see a major shift in the industry towards IEQ and energy efficiency until it is mandated by regulatory authorities.”

Baker also goes on to cite the Estidama Pearl Rating System of Abu Dhabi as representing “a large step forward for the region, in terms of regulation and policy towards Green Building”. He, however, acknowledges that the system is not without its faults. “Is it perfect?” he asks, and answers, “Certainly not, but what regulation is?” He explains: “The most powerful effect, for the moment, is its symbolic nature, which is that a standard has been set in place. It will, of course, be improved upon, just like ASHRAE standards have been.”

Not easy, but possible

Baker et al may be in agreement that the present state of the industry, with a market that remains preoccupied with CAPEX concerns and players whose awareness of niggling issues could be described as insufficient, makes it difficult to strike a balance between IEQ targets and energy-efficiency objectives, but they are also quick to recognise that it is not impossible to pull off.

“IEQ encompasses the overall health of an environment,” Baker says. “It can include thermal and humidity conditions, air quality, lighting, noise, design, energy consumption and natural lighting. Values from the US Energy Information Administration indicate that supplying and treating air accounts for over 60% of office building energy consumption. Lighting consumes another 17%. These power consumptions are staggering and can be significantly lowered (up to 34%) through proper design, while improving overall IEQ.”

October 2015

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COVER STORY

Designing buildings around said parameters, Baker states, can result in high-quality and safe environments that would cost less than those developed using conventional construction methods. “For example, responsibly channelling natural sunlight into the building, while blocking direct sunlight rays from entering the building can make the space feel fresh and, at the same time, reduce energy used for lighting the space,” Baker says. “Another example is utilising IAQ monitors to modulate energy-efficient supply and exhaust fans according to the actual room occupancy, instead of running at a constant worst-case set point and wasting power and conditioned air costs.”

Baker also observes that, technology-wise, the HVAC industry is leaning “towards systems integration, where systems, such as lighting and HVAC [equipment] can automatically switch on and off depending on which zones are occupied”. This, he says, “could be based on motion sensors, badge scans and fingerprinting locks”.

solutions and equipment can be applied “to ensure efficiency and good IEQ in projects”, he is of the opinion that balance can be achieved by analysing how energysaving measures affect indoor environments.

“Many actions taken to improve energy efficiency have secondary effects on the quality of the indoor environment,” he says. “These secondary effects could improve IEQ, leave IEQ relatively unaffected or degrade it, sometimes substantially. These IEQrelated effects are often ignored in the design of energy-efficiency projects, because many energy professionals believe that protecting IEQ would lead to significant energy penalties.”

He emphasises, however, that energy projects can be made compatible with IEQ without substantial energy loss and with potential gain in client satisfaction. “Much of the perceived conflict between those two comes from just two elements of an energy strategy – the tendency to minimise outdoor air ventilation rates and the willingness to relax controls on temperature and relative humidity to save energy.”

To address the conflict, Sultan proposes avoiding energysaving activities that may degrade or compromise IEQ, including reducing HVAC operating hours, relaxing thermal control and night-time setbacks, and utilising variable air volume systems with fixed percentage of outdoor air. What he recommends in their place are energy-saving measures that are compatible with IEQ. They include: optimising on-site resources, especially natural light; reducing energy loads; utilising properly sized systems and energy-recovery technology; practising night pre-cooling; and improving the building shell.

“Energy efficiency and good IEQ, in many people’s eyes, are in competition,” says Sultan. “But, in reality, they complement each other. They are the goal of, as well as the path towards, a green and sustainable world.”

power consumptions are staggering and can be significantly lowered (up to 34%) through proper design, while improving overall IEQ

Technology to the rescue

Expounding on the role technology plays in achieving what Al Ali refers to as the “equilibrium point,” Suggitt declares that he fully supports the idea that efficiency in energy consumption can lead to better IEQ. “Most people would look primarily at energy efficiency as opposed to IEQ,” he says. “They will rarely look at environmental quality and then see if it’s energy-efficient, as well. It tends to be one driving the other, with IEQ very much secondary. But, definitely, balance between both can be achieved, as long as you use the right products in the building.”

Air curtains, Suggitt notes, are one such product. “There’s an edict in Dubai Municipality’s Green Building Regulations that stipulates that all doors or entrance systems of buildings must be designed to prevent conditioned air from escaping the building,” he says. “That’s where air curtains come in, because revolving or automatic doors don’t necessarily do that.”

Complementing, not competing

Though Sultan concedes that technology in the form of HVAC

Editor’s Note: At the time of the interview, Jasim Mohamed Al Ali was with ESMA; since then, he has taken up an assignment with DEWA.

“My hope is that this project* will, Insha Allah, prove to be one of the best government projects in Dubai.

We are expecting it to result in AED 4.6 billion annual savings, and we are confident that it will help the government and developers, as well as other Red Team customers. Also, the Red Team is taking part in a competition, and I’m hoping that with the Tm application, with the whole project, we will win.”

– Jassim Hussain, Senior Housing Consultant at Mohammad Bin Rashid Housing Establishment (MRHE), member of the Red Team * The red Team, made up of DEWA, rTA, Dubai Municipality and MrHE, launched in early September three joint initiatives – Tm, TArISH and QAFAY – in support of Smart Dubai and as part of the city Makers race.

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October 2015

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COVER STORY

Green SPeaK – emiratesGBc INTERVIEW

Saeed Al Abbar, chairman of the Emirates Green building council (EmiratesGbc) and a member of the World Green building council board of Directors, shares with climate control Middle East his thoughts on...

T

he relationship between Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) and energy efficiency: In sustainability rating systems, such as Estidama and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), energy efficiency and IEQ are mutually inclusive goals, where integrated building design processes ensure that the minimum requirements for occupant comfort and safety are met.

The progress the UAE has made in balancing IEQ requirement and energyefficiency targets: Since EmiratesGBC was founded in 2006, the UAE has made significant efforts to improve its current building stock, with numerous groundbreaking frameworks and programmes being implemented by the public sector.

New supporting regulations, the emergence of local sustainability building codes and rating systems, and relevant organisations, such as the EmiratesGBC, have made sustainability an almost intrinsic part of the construction industry in the UAE, where a rising number of Green Buildings are LEED and Estidama Pearl certified.

The challenges to maintaining occupant comfort while pursuing energy-saving measures: Installing new HVAC equipment without taking into account the outdoor air intake or

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October 2015

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October 2015

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COVER STORY

existing CO2 levels or building air tightness, for example, can negate any benefits of a new, more efficient HVAC system.

It is, therefore, necessary to take a holistic approach when considering any implementations aimed at achieving energy efficiency.

Another challenge that we have identified is that older buildings that are candidates for retrofit procedures are sometimes given incomplete or inadequate upgrades.

It is important to note that there are many projects going on, and a lot of players on board. So it is crucial to find out who does what and to work together for a common goal, which is sometimes the biggest obstacle. To tackle this lack of a holistic approach to achieving energy efficiency, late last year, we created the Energy Efficiency Programme, to serve as an energy efficiency database and collaboration platform that compiles the expertise of our corporate members who provide services or materials that are related to energy efficiency.

Building owners, operators and end-users are an essential component in achieving energy efficiency, as their level of awareness, or lack thereof, can greatly influence the implementation and maintenance of improvements needed.

In order to bridge the knowledge gap between professionals and end-users, and to provide solutions for overcoming some of these challenges, EmiratesGBC has also developed a set of guidelines, which aims to provide knowledge of retrofitting procedures to building end-users and operators.

Emirates, draw minimum standards from all the above.

How the EmiratesGBC Technical Guidelines for Retrofitting Existing Buildings can help in balancing good IEQ and energy efficiency: The EmiratesGBC Technical Guidelines for Retrofitting Existing Buildings is a comprehensive set of instructions compiled by the Council and written by its volunteer members and partners. It consists of 200 pages, featuring 31 key retrofit methods that can be implemented on existing buildings for improved operational efficiency and subsequent short- and long-term savings.

Highlighting current processes, technologies, and local and regional standards in place, to successfully and efficiently retrofit existing buildings in the UAE, this publication serves as a guide for UAE industry professionals and building owners, operators, and end-users.

The EmiratesGBC Technical Guidelines also provides the holistic approach mentioned earlier, which looks at all aspects of sustainable retrofit: from energy efficiency, to indoor CO2 levels, outdoor air quality, and VOC content of interior materials and products.

We are honoured to have received the patronage and support of the Ministry of Public Works and the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy for the Guidelines; and we are working with both authorities to support the UAE government’s goals for sustainability.

it is crucial to find out who does what and to work together for a common goal, which is sometimes the biggest obstacle

Existing standards that promote healthy and sustainable built-environments: ASHRAE guidelines represent the basic standards used in the building and construction industry.

In the UAE, many existing buildings have mechanical systems designed to ASHRAE 62.1 Standards. The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineer’s (CIBSE’s) Applications Manual 10:2005 also provides optimal guidance for minimum ventilation rates and thermal conditions. The Dubai Green Building Code and the Abu Dhabi Estidama Pearl Rating System, which apply to all new buildings in the

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October 2015

Steps to achieving both energy efficiency and healthy IEQ: In light of the procedures highlighted in the EmiratesGBC Technical Guidelines, there are a number of solutions that building owners and operators can utilise to improve the operational efficiency of their existing air conditioning equipment.

For existing buildings, proper maintenance, including regular scheduled commissioning, is an essential step that ensures equipment is up-to-date and running to manufacturer’s standards and has no parts in need of replacements. Often, minor problems, if not addressed, can lead to unexpected breakdowns as well as serious damage to equipment, such as refrigeration compressors, which are often costly to replace.

HAVE YOUR SAY!

We welcome your views on the article.

Write to editor@cpi-industry.com

IEQ IN

SCHOOLS a climate control middle east edItorIal camPaIGn

endorSed BY

HEALTH MINISTERS’ COUNCIL FOR THE COOPERATION COUNCIL STATES

October 2015

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‘There’s a need for creating education leadership that is conscious and aware of IeQ’ Dr farooq Wasil, a published author, is the cEO of Goldline Education. His career in education spans over 30 years. In this exclusive interview, he shares with Fatima de la cerna of climate control Middle East his insights on the importance of cultivating environment literacy among education leaders in the Gcc region.

A

s a veteran in the field of education, how would you assess the current state of schools in the UAE, in terms of the quality of their indoor environments?

In the last 10 years, we have seen growth in the education sector, with quality schools being built and regulatory framework being developed – a framework that looks at schools more closely. KHDA, for example, has been working on rolling out good schools, but its focus is definitely on the quality of teaching and learning.

I think UAE schools, in general, follow regular building codes and whatever specifications relevant to school buildings, though there’s no specific attention given to indoor environments. The new schools that have come up, however, should be conforming to at least minimum standards of IEQ. And I believe they can be properly governed through strict IEQ audits.

Based on your observation, what would you say is keeping IEQ from being a priority for schools in the country?

There are many factors; one is the parents themselves. This is actually no longer as true now as it was before, but parents, when they visit schools, their interest is limited to collecting their children’s report cards and meeting the teachers. How many parents

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October 2015

would think to check the noise levels in classrooms? In corridors? If parents were more discerning, they would also be concerned about the wellbeing of their children.

They would be more informed. They would understand that things like lighting and noise have an impact on their children’s welfare and growth. They would also evaluate schools according to their facilities, the quality of their learning spaces. When they visit their kids’ schools, parents should, therefore, check how comfortable their children are. If they did, they would become participants and partners in the evolution of schools.

There has to be a minimum IEQ checklist as part of the school programme, so they’ll understand what elements make up good IEQ

C

M

What about teachers and school administrations?

Are they also factors influencing the current state of IEQ in schools? I ask this because, while attending an education-related event, I heard one of the principals proclaiming that air conditioning problems in his classrooms were not his concern.

We can’t blame him for saying that, and let me tell you why. Indoor environments are highly complex – we’re talking about temperature, humidity, noise, ventilation, air quality and lighting. And building occupants are exposed to a variety of contaminants in the form of gases, chemicals and microbes. IEQ is about many things. How many people understand the whole concept of internal environments?

Like I said, we can’t blame him – unless we take ownership of creating awareness. Environment literacy must then become mandatory for both teachers and school leaders. Teachers should be made aware of what comprises good IEQ, because they have to be facilitators.

There has to be a minimum IEQ checklist as part of the school programme, so they’ll understand what elements make up good IEQ. At present, when teachers go to class, do they have a sense of what good lighting is all about?

Do they have a measuring yard to understand if their current lighting is good for the students or if it’s affecting their ability to learn? Do they measure the quality of noise inside and outside the classroom? The same thing is true for principals and other school administrators.

We must recognise that there’s a need for creating education leadership that is conscious and aware of IEQ. We need to guide our educators, maybe even produce a training module on the topic. In fact, educators should be given bigger participation in the design process.

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October 2015

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Are you referring to the design of the school buildings themselves?

Yes, because, as an educator, I believe that to be able to design effective schools, one has to create, among education leaders and everyone else involved in the provision of education, as well as among developers and investors, heightened awareness and better understanding of external and internal environments. After all, we’re not talking about ordinary buildings. It’s about children, and in their formative years, their mental and physical health should go hand-in-hand. There is no room for compromise, because their physical wellbeing will ensure their mental well-being.

With internal environments having a bearing on the health of students and their academic performance, we are looking at three levels of intervention.

One is a regulatory framework on IEQ. Another is the promotion of environment literacy among educators and education providers – literacy that can translate into action. And third, education for investors interested in the education sector. There has to be a stronger push for environmental education.

What would you propose the sector needs to do, other than to develop environment literacy among teachers, school administrators and other stakeholders, to promote better IEQ? This country has the benefit of being very new, in terms of infrastructure, and it is doing phenomenally well. It’s on the world map and is being talked about. Its architectural marvels are a visual treat, and so much energy and vision have been translated into some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. In

We ought to also look at international standards and design models and assess if we need to contextualise and tweak them according to our geographical conditions

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that sense, there’s more opportunity to accommodate and pursue the concept of IEQ, unlike in other countries, where the construction and architecture scenes are so saturated, development moves at a very slow pace.

Here, in the UAE, so many things are changing. We have communities and landscapes changing, making it a great time to push for better IEQ; time to incorporate all those elements into our education system and engage with people who are champions of creating greater [environment] literacy and understanding of environmental hazards; and time to bring all the stakeholders together on a thinking platform, so that together they can identify what IEQ means for an education leader and for a teacher, and determine how students see it and how parents and regulators would like to see it.

We can create healthy environments, both indoor and outdoor, and this country will become a leader for other countries. To achieve that, we need to look at global examples and emulate best practices, to look at good schools that have been rolled out and make them a case study – to make people understand what good IEQ looks like. It is learning by experience and through example, because understanding of the environment is a continuous process, an evolving process.

In some cases, schools are nothing but four walls; although, at least now, the country’s schools have toilets. You can probably imagine how bad it was before

We ought to also look at international standards and design models and assess if we need to contextualise and tweak them according to our geographical conditions. Take India as an example.

I was there to look at school projects across the country, and we had to recognise that India has four ecological zones, which means we needed to roll out design elements that would fit each zone. If you go up deep north, for

instance, you’ll have winter, so the design of the building has to offer sufficient heating and insulation for children, for about five or six months. And in another ecological zone, you’ll have to deal with very high temperatures. What do you do? You cannot introduce one standard design. You have to customise them to the local environment.

Later on, when we started designing

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October 2015

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There are many investors who want to invest in schools, but they see them as just another group of buildings the templates of the schools, the environment in the region was the ultimate consideration.

Speaking of India, could you share your insights on the IEQ situation in its schools?

India is a country where education is still a challenge, in the sense that its infrastructure and resources are still inadequate. In some cases, schools are nothing but four walls; although, at least now, the country’s schools have toilets. You can probably imagine how bad it was before. But yes, it continues

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to be a struggle to achieve the basic education tasks of giving students even rudimentary education and creating good schools. Good schools are, after all, a function of multiples: resources, design, infrastructure, etc.

The thing about India and other countries that have gone through similar struggles is, you cannot correct a mess that’s historical. You have challenges of economy and personnel, challenges of training and skill sets, but those should not stop you from going forward. And today, people are becoming more resilient and the economy is becoming better. We can, therefore, urge newgeneration schools in India to push for regulations on the health of indoor environments. They must recognise IEQ elements and how they impact the safety and development of students.

I am in the process of completing a book on how to design a school, and I think the topic holds a lot of relevance to India. There are many investors who want to invest in schools, but they see them as just another group of buildings. I want to help them – maybe this book can help them, in terms of getting them to sit together and look at what good design looks like, to think of design in the 21st century, where the physical walls will not define the structures.

October 2015

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Indoor environment – a stormy issue Lorelee D Asignacion

T

Defchellow Hope Ochea-Alivio

he Philippines is a tropical country that lies in the path of natural disasters. The calamities that besiege the nation year after year aggravate the already much-affected learning environment. Factor in the lack of classrooms, congestion and an environment not conducive to learning, and you have a recipe for a looming disaster. At most, students have to make do with poorly ventilated and dilapidated classrooms or face being exposed to the harshness of nature. This is not the picture that promises a bright future for our youth.

As per reports carried in national newspapers, in Metro Manila – the National Capital Region of the Philippines – 82% of the 764 public schools in the

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October 2015

The Philippines educational system has taken a step forward to overhaul the curriculum to better serve the future of the country. However, there are other factors detrimental to the learning process that cannot simply be ignored, says Lorelee D Asignacion. With inputs from Defchellow Hope Ochea-Alivio

metropolis were congested, and were conducting classes in two shifts, the first shift starting as early as six in the morning, and the second ending as late as six in the evening. There were reportedly as many as 80 students in each classroom. School authorities resorted to cutting classes in half and cramming the excess students into science labs, libraries, corridors and even the principal’s office.

A dismal report card

According to the IBON research foundation, in 2011, the Philippine public school system was short of 152,569 classrooms, 150,000 water and sanitation facilities, and 13.23

million school chairs. It reported: “The terrible conditions have taken a massive toll on the education of children.

Only 68% of sixth grade students nationwide achieved a passing score in Mathematics and Science, according to the National Education Research and Testing Center. The results for secondary students were even more dismal, with barely 50% of students passing satisfactorily in the same subjects.”

In this context, rocked by endemic poverty and a non-conducive and decrepit classroom environment, children drop out of schools at an alarming rate.

More than six per cent of students leave before reaching grade six, and nearly eight per cent leave school before they reach their fourth year of secondary education.

To give a perspective of the provincial areas, such as Negros Occidental, schools there suffer other additional setbacks. Bata National High School (BNHS) in Bacolod City, a complete

public secondary school, is a classic example. With its growing population of students year after year, the challenge is to provide a conducive and healthy learning environment. With leaking roofs, lack of

classrooms and laboratories, dilapidated and flooded classrooms built with substandard materials and congestion, it is a typical picture of the Philippine public schools. However, there are

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worse scenarios that need attention in other parts of the country, particularly those in the calamity-stricken areas.

A flood of problems

The terrible conditions have taken a massive toll on the education of children. Only 68% of sixth grade students nationwide achieved a passing score in Mathematics and Science, according to the National Education Research and Testing Center

attending classes in over 4,000 so-called “learning spaces” – tents or sheds made of corrugated metal and wood.

A few classes are still being held under trees and in the activity centre. However, the turning over of a 20-classroom building will provide a solution, along with 20 orbit fans donated by One Meralco Foundation, which will help ease the discomfort.

providing a child-friendly environment that promotes learning. The same is true all over the country, where the only choice left is to make do with whatever is available at present, while waiting for the generosity of concerned individuals and organisations.

However, the health, well-being and the mental and physical development of students cannot be achieved through hopes and dreams. Each little step taken to provide a suitable remedy can deliver a whole school-year of learning. 

In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan devastated the country, with Tacloban City among the hardest hit areas. A local newspaper reported that in one of the schools in the city, hundreds of children, packed like sardines, endured searing heat in three temporary classrooms with walls of corrugated iron sheets.

The typhoon, according to reports, damaged 3,100 schools, with 20,000 classrooms needing to be either rebuilt or repaired. An estimated 1.4 million children were affected. Seven months after the typhoon, only 35% of classrooms that were totally damaged, and 53% of those that were partially damaged, have been rebuilt. Nearly half a million children are

Living on hope

BNHS, on its part, has forged partnerships with local government units and other organisations, including the school’s alumni association, in order to generate resources for some major and minor repairs of classrooms and other facilities.

The school continues to believe that there is still a glimmer of hope when it comes to

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CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.

IEQ IN HEALTHCARE a climate control middle east edItorIal camPaIGn

October 2015

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IEQ in

HEALTHCARE IVF LABORATORIES

The birth of clean air In-vitro fertilisation clinics and laboratories are extremely sensitive areas, where the Indoor Environmental Quality could impact the rate of success of fertilisation. Prasad Natraj discusses air filtration methods for such spaces.

A

ir filtration plays a major role in controlling air-borne contaminants for industrial, commercial and healthcare applications, which is a well-illustrated and documented subject the world over. The air systems serving critical applications, like biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and life sciences, are designed to provide and maintain environments by maximising the control of air-borne contaminants, both viable and non-viable, and to minimise the process defects, assure product quality and provide for worker safety and wellbeing. However, due to the presence of Air-borne Molecular Contamination (AMC)

in gaseous or vapour form coming from the outdoor air, which includes carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and sulphur compounds, along with indoor pollutants, which are commonly caused by the off-gassing of materials/equipment like printers, toners and carpets, the air is a complex mixture of various AMC contaminants and is very reactive.

It is, thus, detrimental to specialised processes and results in poor air quality, and is a health hazard. With a lot of hydroncarbon activity in the Middle East, and air conditioned spaces, it is necessary to control the presence of AMC for critical applications.

The ivf process

The process involves extensive conditioning of the egg prior to actual fertilisation, exposing the egg to air contaminants

~100 to 1,000 micrometres in diameter

"needle" for "injecting" sperm into egg

Egg

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October 2015

What is in-vitro fertilisation (IVF)?

In vitro is Latin for “within the glass”. In the context of fertilisation, it means that the fertilisation of an egg is performed outside of a living organism. This means an egg is fertilised by a sperm within a laboratory environment. This applies to both human and animal fertilisations.

This article specifically covers the human application. IVF is typically used for couples who have fertility problems (male or female). The fertilisation of the egg is performed in the laboratory and subsequently placed into the female for a “normal” pregnancy term. There are, of course, many variations of this process, including surrogacy (a volunteer host serves as non-biological mother for the pregnancy term).

Air quality in IVF laboratories

Research has been conducted within

IVF laboratories, where the following IVF is expensive and success findings were made: rates low • Gaseous contaminants are present Typically, an IVF process costs USD in levels that exceed those found in 10,000 to 15,000 per cycle. The success other buildings, such as homes and rates range from nil to 50%. Success offices. rates are dependent on many factors, • Sources of contaminants are and the generally low success rate outdoors, adjacent building impacts people’s decision whether to areas and within the lab from pursue IVF as an option or not. Insurance process-based activities, including companies typically do not cover such compressed gases, cleaning procedures, and couples have to pay for and sterilising agents and stored the IVF procedure. materials.

• The effects of gaseous contaminants on the IVF process is significant, It can be deduced that an resulting in a threefold decrease in improvement in the success rate success rates in one of the studies. will directly affect IVF procedure Research on the effects costs. A higher success rate of gaseous contaminants means more couples will likely USD 15,000 for within IVF laboratories have choose the procedure. a 50% chance of resulted in the researchers’ success? Not very recommendation to use good odds gas-phase filtration in IVF laboratories.

October 2015

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IEQ in

HEALTHCARE ivf laboratories

In-vitro fertilisation laboratories

IVF clinics have a need for clean air to keep the success rates high. One way is to positively pressurise the areas with outside air, in an effort to reduce the effect of various internal sources. However, the outside air has been found to contain contaminants that negatively impact success rates, as well. Many facilities across the United States have reported decreases in pregnancy rates that are related to AMC. The internal contaminant sources that can affect such labs include the analytical procedures, cleaning processes, compressed air, pesticide use and building materials off-gassing.

Other sources external to the lab may include power production processes, automobile exhaust, cooling towers and urban air quality, as explained earlier.

Apart from HEPA filtration, it is highly recommended to include specialised chemical filtration, since the contaminants are very small in diameter and are in suspended mode.

Chemical filtration, or dry scrubbing, is essential for effective removal of AMC. Adsorption and chemisorption are the two primary methods being employed by dry scrubbing media to scrub the

Outer surface

Apart from HEPA filtration, it is highly recommended to include specialised chemical filtration, since the contaminants are very small in diameter and are in suspended mode (identical to vander waal forces) hold the adsorbate (contaminant) to the adsorbent (engineered chemical media).

This is a physical phenomenon in which contaminant retains its individual properties and reaction is reversible, while the process of chemisorption is an active chemical interaction between the adsorbate and adsorbent, and the process is not reversible. Most of the chemical filtration or dry gas scrubbing involves both the processes in the removal of molecular contaminants.

Inner surface

Gasesous molecules e.g. hydrocarbons

Adsorptive

Macro-pores (w > 50nm) Meso-pores (2nm <w < 50nm)

Micro-pores (w < 2nm)

contaminant gases. These engineered chemical media have high surface-areato-mass ratio and have open-structured micro and meso pores. Activated carbon or activated alumina with certain chemical impregnants are used, which effectively react with the target contaminant, AMC and gases. Adsorption is the physical process by which intermolecular forces

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October 2015

Submicro-pores (w < 0.4nm)

Pore structure of activated carbon Properties of Activated Carbon (AC) An activated carbon particle (of any size) is perforated by a widely spread network of pores and channels. The sum of all pore surfaces is measurable and determines the activation grade of the AC. Realistic surface areas are between 800 and 1.400 m2/g.

Basics of chemical filtration

ASHRAE-rated particulate filters and, typically, two or three stages of chemical filter modules are employed to scrub the contaminant gases before the air enters into an IVF laboratory. Alternatively, recirculation systems with similar filtration modules are also employed to scrub air within the space.

Gas-phase solutions for IVF laboratories  Objective is to provide an environment, where the gaseous contaminants are as low as reasonably achievable  Using gas-phase filtration helps meet that objective 

Solutions are dependent on many factors, including:  Size of the laboratory  Hvac configuration  Isolation of the laboratory



Common solutions:  Pressurisation or Recirculation Units  Side Access Housing  Chemical media filled cassettes

Typically, an MERV 8/13 pre-filtration, followed by two or three stages of chemical filtration followed by an MERV 13 post-filtration is the general arrangement for scrubbing contaminant gases. Depending upon the outdoor air chemical concentrations and type of FA, suitable filtration can be proposed.

Pressurisation & Recirculation Units (PRU) & RU

Enclosed Room

 Pressurisation units (PRU) are optimal solutions for existing laboratories with no current gasphase filtration  System can be installed within the lab relatively quickly and easily  System provides pressurisation of the laboratory with respect to the areas adjacent to the lab, to prevent contaminated air from entering the lab from adjacent spaces

Inlet Duct Inlet air from outside of the room

PRU filter system

Optional inlet damper and dampered in-room inlet may be supplied to allow recirculation of air

Air leakage at windows,doors and other penetrations will be outwards from the room

Fan *Pressurised space Outlet Clean air

PRU pressurises the space by drawing air from outside the space. After cleaning the air, the unit discharges the cleaned air to the space. Air escaping from the higher pressure space within the room to the lower pressure surrounding environment prevents outside contaminants from infiltrating the space.

Side Access Housing (SAH)

with respect to the areas adjacent to the lab, to prevent contaminated air from entering the lab from adjacent spaces  External ductwork would likely be required for proper air distribution and pressurisation; can be tied into the existing HVAC system

 Side Access Housing (SAH) is also a good solution for existing laboratories without current gas phase filtration  System can be installed above a ceiling to conceal within the lab relatively quickly and easily  System can provide pressurisation of the laboratory

One of many possible configurations for an SAH HVAC unit

Outdoor air

ceiling Return air

Supply air IVF Laboratory :"

October 2015

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IEQ in

HEALTHCARE

Conclusions

to Control Airborne Molecular Contaminants in the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology, and Life Science Industries. European Journal of Parenteral & Pharmaceutical Sciences. 9(1): 3-9.

[2] Cohen, J, Gilligan, A, Esposito, W, Schimmel, T, & Dale, B. (1997). Ambient Air and its Potential Effects on Conception In-Vitro.

Opinion Paper – IVF Online. Accessed Sept 2009. Available at: http://www.ivfonline. com/User/Newsstand/Opinion.aspx

Reference [1] Stanley, WBM, Muller, C. (2004).

Application of Dry-Scrubbing Air Filtration

CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.

The presence of AMC and levels of contaminants can be detrimental to the IVF process, and at a molecular level, the air quality is a very important factor for the success rate of in-vitro fertilisation.

As results from various studies conducted across the globe indicate, the correct use of AMC filtrations resulted in higher pregnancy rates. Moving forward, the use of specialised chemical or AMC filtration for existing laboratories/centres is recommended.

INTERVIEW

The writer is General Manager at AAF International. He can be contacted at pnatraj@aaf-ae.com

13 January 2016 | Dubai, UAE 8th Middle East Cold-Chain Food Safety Conference

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October 2015

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October 2015

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case-in point

Throwing light on a mushrooming problem An Oklahoma-based mushroom farm was spending tens of thousands of dollars on maintenance when air conditioning coils became caked with mould every three months. Additionally, chemical cleaning was prematurely corroding the coils. The farm solved the problem with UV light systems that are now keeping coils clean and significantly reducing maintenance costs. We bring you the case study.

Introduction

Unfortunately for indoor mushroom farmers, the very environmental conditions that produce bumper mushroom crops – subdued light, high humidity and cool temperatures – also promote mould growth in farm air conditioning systems, resulting in their premature failure, lower heat transfer efficiencies and exorbitant maintenance costs.

The background

For J-M Farms, in Miami city, Oklahoma, producer of 27 million pounds of produce annually, HVAC maintenance and energy costs for dozens of mushroom growing quarters were escalating exponentially and cutting into profits. J-M Farms is a wooden tray operation, in which final growing and harvesting phases occur inside unique satellite Quonset huts.

Case-in point

The problem: Mushrooms thrive in 85% (±2-percent) relative humidity

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October 2015

(RH) and 59 degrees F (15 degrees C) to 64 degrees F (17.78 degrees C) temperatures. Unfortunately, so do a myriad of undesirable mould varieties when harboured in an AC’s dark spaces and nourished by a perpetual supply of condensed humidity during 24/7 operation.

“All mushroom farmers experience similar HVAC coil mould challenges,” says Scott Engelbrecht, J-M Farms’ Growing Operations Manager.

As if coil maintenance costs weren’t enough, costs to replace units prematurely corroded from frequent exposure to cleaning chemicals were approximately USD 5,000 each.

The solution: Hospitals, schools and other commercial buildings have installed ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) in HVAC systems for years to keep coils clean of microbial growths for both maintenance and indoor air quality (IAQ) reasons, but the technology is new to mushroom farms, reveals Engelbrecht. Like many newcomers to UVGI, Engelbrecht was somewhat sceptical. He, therefore, took advantage of the “Free UV Trial Demonstration Programme” offered by Florida-based air purification manufacturer, Fresh-Aire UV. The programme offers building owners a free

UV installation and 90-day performance analysis conducted by a certified HVAC service technician. The facility owner can choose to purchase the equipment or have it uninstalled at no cost.

The free installation included Fresh-Aire UV’s Tubular Rack UV System mounted to a recently cleaned air conditioning coil.

It featured a 60-inch-long, 254-nanometer UV lamp with a Teflon-coating that minimises breakage and contains shattered glass and lamp gases if accidentally broken.

The power supply and ballast carries a lifetime guarantee. The only maintenance required is a quick lamp replacement every

Conventional particulate media filters can entrap mould spores. However, they continue to live and reproduce within the system. UV light systems, on the other hand, provide chemical-free disinfection that scrambles the microbe’s DNA so it can’t reproduce

two years to guarantee optimum performance.

Positive outcomes and sustainable initiatives

The trial coil showed no signs of the black, brown and slimy mould that typically coats coils after three months of 24/7 operation. Now Engelbrecht is rolling out the UV light retrofit of 42 remaining Quonset hut air handlers expedited by Service Solutions and assisted by in-house technicians trained by Fresh-Aire UV to install systems and replace lamps. He expects a payback of less than one year on each UV light system when considering the reduced maintenance costs and the HVAC units’ extended lifecycles due to less cleaning chemical exposure.

UV light systems offer additional benefits beyond coil cleaning, such as killing airborne mould spores related to diseases that affect mushrooms and reduce harvest outputs. “What mushroom farmers grow is technically a type of mould,” Engelbrecht explains. “So our environments can potentially create undesirable competing mould or mould-generated diseases that affect the mushroom crop.”

Conventional particulate media filters can entrap mould spores. However, they continue to live and reproduce within the system. UV light systems, on the other hand, provide chemicalfree disinfection that scrambles the microbe’s DNA, so it can’t reproduce. Not all UV light is the same. UV-A (used for black lights), UV-B (used in tanning salons and causes sunburns) and UV-C wavelengths are all present in sunlight. However, higher frequency UV-C wavelengths are filtered by the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Therefore, microorganisms, such as mould have no experience or defense against it. UV-C light is strong enough to sterilise microbes, but not enough to degrade an HVAC system’s coil

clean coil & UV lamp in Quonset Ac Systems

in-unit cleanings on more than 40 Quonset hut air handlers, costing nearly $20,000 annually. That figure did not include maintenance for more than 50 other coils ranging from 24x36-inch to 48x96inches providing cooling to phase II brick/mortar spawn and setback rooms. While expensive, the coil cleaning was critical to improving static pressure by 15% to 20%, which was proven with postcleaning airflow tests using an anemometer manufactured by Utah-based Weather Hawk.

Additionally, Service

Quonset Hut mushroom trays

spare coil and then deep-clean submerging it in a chemical solution for two days. The clean coil is then reinstalled to replace another dirty coil, which starts the process again. The staff also streamlined the reconditioning process by customising the air handlers with coil isolation valves and flange fittings.

The air handlers run 24/7, and typically bring in large amounts of outdoor air to maintain CO2 levels at 1,0002,000-ppm. CO2, temperature, humidity and even compost temperatures are all monitored and controlled by a building automation system (BAS) manufactured by Netherlandsbased Fancom. The BAS controls all the set points via the 8,000-cfm air handlers, manufactured by Carrier.

J-M Farms’ staff has also constructed some of its own air handlers to handle the heavy cooling and humidity load demands of mushroom farming.

The Quonset hut air handlers are each supplied typically by two 80-tonne Carrier chillers.

Air is distributed through clear plastic 24-inch-diameter duct runs in the middle of each Quonset hut. The Quonset huts themselves are steel-framed structures with concrete pad foundations and R-20 insulated, nylon-reinforced plastic walls and ceilings.

Conclusion

Ac right side & piping

Ac Left side

or interior surfaces.

Before installing UV light systems, J-M Farms satellite operations was hiring local HVAC contractor, Service Solutions Inc, for quarterly

Solutions and J-M Farms’ in-house maintenance staff has had to recondition all the operation’s HVAC coils. This process requires removing a dirty coil, replacing it with a

For Engelbrecht, his UVGI discovery represents a chemicalfree, maintenance-free cleaning process that does not degrade coils and provides an optimal energy-saving efficiency. “I don't know why the mushroom industry hasn’t discovered this previously,” Engelbrecht says, “but they should certainly know about it.” 

CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.

October 2015

39

perspective

Energy Management

Energy management

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a ready reckoner Energy management entails making buildings more comfortable, healthy and safe, while saving energy and money, say Yogesh Kulkarni and Nitin Mane, who offer thumb rules.

E

fficient energy management reduces energy consumption, lowers the load on equipment and enhances its life, while bringing down maintenance cost, reduces pollution and increases occupant comfort, health and safety.

A few of the important factors which contribute to energy wastage in a building are:

Air conditioning equipment loss: Equipment designed for a particular capacity underperforms due to various reasons, such as equipment casing losses, duct leakages, and loss of air conditioning heat due to improper insulation.

Undersized equipment: The layout inside a building is modified, but the installed equipment is made to serve a larger area than it was originally designed for, where the equipment continuously runs without cut off. This enormously increases the load on the equipment, thus increasing the energy consumption, while also increasing the risk of equipment failure.

Overcooled areas:

Lift lobbies of high-rise buildings are often overcooled.

Improperly balanced

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October 2015

HVAC systems: After being in use for a certain number of years, HVAC systems in a building begin to underperform and need retrocommissioning.

Insufficient cooling: It is observed in various buildings that in spite of having the correct equipment size, there are complaints of insufficient cooling, mainly due to insufficient heat rejection in HVAC equipment condensers.

Infiltration: Entering of outside hot humid air through cracks in the building structure and gaps in windows and doors increases the load on the air conditioning equipment, thus putting extra pressure on them.

Poor insulation: Poor thermal insulation is one of the important factors that causes the loss of air conditioning heat.

Single-glazed windows: Single-glazed windows add to heat dissipation in air conditioned spaces.

Double-glazed windows with wrong U values:

The reason for conducting an energy audit is to reduce energy consumption without compromising the thermal and lighting comfort of the occupants

Double-glazed windows with incorrect thermal coefficient of performance also leads to inefficient performance.

The above-mentioned factors, of course, are just few of the many reasons for undue energy loss in various systems and equipment. They need to be identified and effectively resolved, for which a detailed energy audit has to be carried out.

Energy auditors examine the energy account of an equipment or a system, check the way energy is used in its various components, look for areas of inefficiency and recommend the means to improve energy use. Energy audit, therefore, is an effective energy management tool to achieve energy efficiency. This, to put it in energy audit parlance, means actively seeking Energy Management Opportunity (EMO).

EMOs are classified as follows:

Category 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; This involves general housekeeping, like turning off the lights and air conditioning systems when not in use or revising air conditioning set points. It practically entails no investment and does not disturb the building operations.

Category 2 – This category is a relatively low-cost investment, but can cause some minor disruption to the building operation, for example, installing timers to turn off the equipment, replacing T8 fluorescent tubes with T5 fluorescent tubes or installing lockable and programmable thermostat to programme different temperatures of the day, as per requirement.

Category 3 – It demands high capital cost investment with much disruption to the building operation. This, for example, involves adding variable speed drives, installing power factor correction equipment, replacing chillers and other such equipment and replacing the existing HVAC systems with better Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) value systems.

An energy audit team with adequate technical knowledge in Building Services installations, particularly HVAC and lighting installations, carries out a detailed survey of all the energyconsuming equipment and their operation and characteristics.

This also entails identifying their performance by checking their operation and maintenance records, site surveys, reading and metering records. The audit team will then identify areas that have scope for improvement and write an energy audit report on the findings for records and implementation of possible EMOs.

Maintaining thermal and lighting comfort The reason for conducting an energy audit is to reduce energy consumption without compromising the thermal and lighting comfort of the occupants.

Therefore, an EMO should not downgrade the quality of service below common design standards.

Examples of substandard level of comfort include, room temperature and air velocity being higher than the ASHRAE standards and lighting level below CIBSE codes for internal lighting.

The flowchart of a standard energy audit gives the steps to be taken in a nutshell:

Defining the scope of energy audit

Forming an energy audit team

It also involves maintaining good IAQ with correct volumes of fresh air being supplied to a given space.

It has been found that the standard of air quality has improved after a supply of treated fresh air to the room equipment. Also, considerable energy saving is achieved by using a heat recovery wheel to recover the air conditioning heat from the extract air, which is used for pre-cooling of ambient air taken in by the Fresh Air Handling Units (FAHU) to be treated and delivered to the buildings. This obviously reduces the load on the cooling coil and, hence, on the air conditioning equipment.

Analysis and

identification of EMOs EMOs should typically include: 1. A detailed analysis and identification of building equipment and system performance against the original design 2. Possible energy saving from EMO 3. Implementation cost of EMO 4. Classification of EMO into different categories – Category I, II or III 5. Listing of EMOs in a systematic format and choosing one of the following options: • In order of system, for example, first on HVAC installation, and then on lighting installation

Estimating the time-frame and budget

Collecting building information

Conducting site inspection and measurement • Strategic measuring points • Instrumentation

Analysing the data collected • Identification of energy management opportunities • The cost budgeted to implement EMO and payback on investment

October 2015

41

perspective

Energy Management

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• In order of floors, for example, from the lowest level to the top floor • In order of usage, for example, general office, private office, common corridor, lift lobby, etc.

6. Initial investment and payback on each EMO A few of the common energy audit findings are as follows:

Example 1

1. Air conditioning equipment remaining “ON” outside office timings or usage 2. Too cold in summer, for example, room temperature being set at 21 degrees C 3. Doors or windows kept open when the air conditioning system is running 4. Excess air pressure drop across air filters of air conditioning equipment 5. Chiller set point to provide minimum temperature of chilled water in winter or beyond summer

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Example 2 1. No blinds or blinds not closed against strong sunlight 2. Air leakages through air conditioning equipment and duct air leakages 3. Excessive chilled water leakages through pump glands 4. Improper air balancing of chilled water or air, causing overcooling

Example 3

1. Windows exposed to strong sunlight 2. Secondary chilled water pumps driven by constant volume pumps 3. Old air conditioning equipment with low

EER values It is not always the case that a huge investment is incurred in planning for energy savings. It can be achieved by being alert to how energy is consumed in your building.

Energy management and water management regimen can be effectively planned and implemented in a proposed building or a project by having in place a few of the following arrangements: • Use of air conditioning equipment condensate • Installing heat pumps in combination with solar panels for hot water in hotels • Since a building’s FAHUs consume a lot of power, providing appropriate controls to reduce consumption • Utilisation of waste heat from FAHUs to improve heat rejection of air conditioning equipment

Payback on investment Energy management or energy saving is a continuous process, which not only increases sustainability but also extends a system’s life, which together save money.

The writers are Directors at Niyo MEP Engineering Consultants, Dubai. They can be contacted at niyomep@gmail.com CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.

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MARKET FEATURE DATA CENTRES

Keeping IT cool

As data centres try to keep pace with rapidly changing usage patterns, so do their cooling techniques. Industry experts share insights and updates on best practices and technologies.

By Rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

T

o state the importance of data centres in the present day of quick connectivity and information dissemination is to state the obvious. As data centres try to keep pace with rapidly changing usage patterns, so do their cooling techniques.

Pierre Havenga, Managing Director at Emerson Network Power for the Middle East and Africa region, gives an interesting analysis: “If we look at the telecom industry, a

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October 2015

few years ago, approximately 90% was voice-centric and 10% was data-centric. Now, it’s approximately 70% datacentric and 30% voice-centric.

This is mainly driven by applications on smartphones and people are spending more time downloading apps or text messaging, creating demand for storage of data.

You don’t record all the voice communications between people on cell phones, but you need to record all the data. And that’s what’s driving

the need for data centres.” In light of this, maintaining and cooling data centres has gained primacy.

A whitepaper by Emerson Network Power, a business of Emerson, reveals that cooling systems – comprising cooling and air movement equipment – account for 38% of energy consumption in data centres.1 As Havenga puts it simply, “You have to reject heat from the data centre; servers generate heat and heat has to be rejected.”

A temporary failure of an airport data centre is certainly much more critical than the temporary failure of Twitter’s data centre, though some may argue that Don’t lose your cool

Cooling failure is not an option for data centres. In Havenga’s view, the loss of revenue could amount to millions of dollars per day if a data centre is unavailable, with the losses being different for different industries. “For example, for the telecom industry, the losses are quite huge,” he says. However, that could be the least of the problems. As Bart Holsters,

Pierre Havenga

Bart Holsters

Mohammad Abusaa

Håkan Lenjesson

cooling generation system back online within minutes of losing power. In Abusaa’s view, this is the usual contingency procedure in case of a cooling failure.

Cooling solutions

Since cooling is an imperative for data centres, ASHRAE has defined standards for their cooling requirements, which normally dictates the operating conditions.

Håkan Lenjesson, Market Area Director at Systemair for the Middle East and Turkey region, says that ASHRAE has been broadening the operating ranges and also recommending a very low Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE). Havenga adds: “Today, ASHRAE’s recommended conditions range from 18 degrees C to 27 degrees C. However, the allowable range can even go up to 35-40 degrees C, depending on the server technology.”

With the ranges and requirements defined, the next step is to decide on a cooling solution, as there are several

options available in the market.

Havenga says that most data centres currently adopt the traditional direct expansion technology, which is applicable everywhere in the world.

“Then there is free cooling, where you have fresh air coming directly from outside,” he points out, and adds, “Or indirect cooling, where you are cooling a medium, typically water. Even further, there are adiabatic solutions, which are an enhancement of the cooling capacity of the chiller.

It increases the free cooling capacity.”

Havenga reveals that the latest technology in the market is evaporative free cooling.

“This is a way of cooling a data centre without using a compressor; so basically, allyear-round cooling,” he says.

He believes that the main driver behind this is energy savings, adding that energy is the single biggest cost incurred by a data centre, which has led to various advancements in technology, InRow cooling being one of

Image source: Håkan Lenjesson

Operations Manager at Cofely Besix Facility Management, points out, a cooling failure will result in loss of uptime, with the servers eventually shutting down and the electronic equipment getting damaged.

Mohammad Abusaa, a Business and Project Development Professional with HH Angus and Associates, and a veteran when it comes to data centre cooling, presenting a clear picture of the stakes involved in case of cooling failure in various sectors, says: “The critical nature of cooling for a data centre can be understood from the fact that in many cases, losing cooling for less than five minutes could cause the IT equipment to fail. In some high-density applications, the time could be less than two minutes. The criticality of IT systems’ failure is gauged by the function of the data centre. In other words, a temporary failure of an airport

data centre is certainly much more critical than the temporary failure of Twitter’s data centre, though some may argue that.”

The reason for such cooling failure, he says, can directly be related to the cooling system itself, such as the failure of pumps, fans or chillers, and, at times, indirectly related to the cooling system, such as power outages.

Abusaa elaborates that when failure occurs in the cooling system, standby equipment or paths are brought online to ensure continuous supply of cooling to the IT space.

Therefore, attributes like redundancy and standby should be factored in at the design stage of cooling systems. When failure occurs in the power supply, an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) device connected to the critical parts of a cooling system – usually the distribution components – will maintain the operation of the cooling distribution network, while the backup generators come online, thereby providing sufficient power to bring the

Figure 1

October 2015

45

MARKET FEATURE DATA CENTRES

Flying north

For security and access reasons, the CRAC unit might need to be relocated them. Havenga explains that InRow cooling is a type of air conditioning system commonly used in data centres, in which the cooling unit is placed between the server cabinets in a row for providing cool air to the server equipment more effectively.

Abusaa puts in a nutshell a few of the current trending innovations in the market: “There is modularisation – the main drivers behind this are quality control, cost and delivery schedule. Then there is Direct Liquid Cooling, followed by a continuous development of IT hardware systems that run at higher temperatures and humidity levels and, finally, the on-site Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems.”

Making the server serve

Amidst these cooling options, there lie several challenges, with availability and uptime being the primary ones. “You have to make a redundant solution, no matter where you are in the world,” Havenga says. “This is required so that you will not lose production, because if you lose production, you will lose millions every day.”

Abusaa points out that cooling load or capacity management is one of the most critical challenges in designing a data centre cooling system.

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October 2015

H

åkan Lenjesson says that most organisations continue to plan and design new computing facilities without much change or innovation. For example, first, they design a building and leave some portion for the data hall or whitespace. Then, they fill the whitespace with as many server racks as possible. In Lenjesson’s opinion, designing data centres in the traditional manner can create a wide range of problems.

He explains, “For example, an undersized or oversized power and cooling infrastructure can limit operating capacity or increase capital expenses.”

He believes that large corporations are looking for some extra free cooling, while keeping the PUE as low as possible. “companies like Google, Facebook, etc., are building their new data centres in the very

north places of the planet, for example, to north of Sweden, Finland, canada, etc.,” he reveals. He elaborates: “Instead of under- or overprovisioning their new facility’s power and cooling resources, companies are installing the optimal infrastructure for the precise array of hardware and enclosures they’ll be using.

Instead of improvising solutions for efficiency-sapping structural defects, they’re preventing those defects from occurring in the first place. The end-result is a data centre that’s not only less costly to cool and maintain but also more reliable and better suited for business requirements.

They can also allow for significantly increased intensity usage. rOI is a very important factor, so doing it right from the beginning is essential; this is where modular systems are coming into place.”

“We don’t call it cooling anymore”

A

walk through Emerson Network Power’s customer Experience centre, Dubai, will make you realise that data centre cooling is a serious business. climate control Middle East visited the facility where Pierre Havenga demonstrated that cooling in data centres was more about managing the heat rather than cooling. He explained: “Five years ago, you allowed a certain amount of cool air into your data centre, irrespective of whether it was required or not. Nowadays, with Electronically commutated (Ec) fans, software and wireless monitoring, we can manage the amount of cool air based on what is required by the data centre. So, you don’t need to provide cool air if there is no heat.

“So our other solution is that you can even switch off servers. If the server fan is running, then the fan consumes power, and the power generates heat. So, it’s getting to that level of managing your heat levels.

That’s why we call it Thermal Management.

We don’t call it cooling anymore, because now you manage the thermal side of your data centre. We manage the temperature requirement from the rack back to the chiller.”

A Technical Manager operating on Emerson Network Power’s Liebert crV Thermal Management Unit (© 2015 Emerson Electric co)

Emerson Network Power’s customer Experience centre

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MARKET FEATURE DATA CENTRES

How Google does it

At Google data centres, the company often uses water instead of chillers, as an energy-efficient way to cool…

Similar to hospitals and other critical facilities, maintaining control of the Indoor Air Quality to avoid contamination is crucial He stresses that capacity management is related to the phasing of data centre construction, expansion or phasing out of IT loads within the data centre, variation in the cooling load profile within the day/month/year and variation in the cooling load requirements within the same data hall or even at the server rack level.

The other challenges are maintenance-related. Abusaa stresses that it is crucial to understand that a facility that is running 24/7 and has strict security access regulations will have its design and operation challenges when it comes to maintenance. He says, “For example, while having a Computer Room Air Conditioning Unit (CRAC) installed in a specific location is the most efficient solution, for security and access reasons, the CRAC unit might need to be relocated to ensure that the maintenance personnel do not have access to the IT equipment, as there might be a possibility of accidently damaging the IT equipment while maintaining the CRAC unit.”

And then, there is always the issue related to humidity (See Figure 1) and air quality.

“Similar to hospitals and other

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October 2015

“Hot Huts” Google has designed custom cooling systems for its server racks. The systems are called “Hot Huts”, because they serve as temporary homes for the hot air that leaves the servers – sealing it away from the rest of the data centre floor. Fans on top of each Hot Hut unit pull hot air from behind the servers through water-cooled coils. The chilled air leaving the Hot Hut returns to the ambient air in the data centre, where the servers can draw the chilled air in, cool them down and complete the cycle.

Evaporative cooling As hot water from the data centre flows down the towers through a material that speeds evaporation, some of the water turns to vapour. A fan lifts this vapour, removing the excess heat in the process, and the tower sends the cooled water back into the data centre.

Using seawater Google’s facility in Hamina, Finland, uses seawater to cool without chillers. The company has chosen Hamina for its cold climate and its location on the Gulf of Finland. The cooling system pumps cold water from the sea to the facility, transfers heat from the operations to the seawater through a heat exchanger, and, then, cools this water before returning it to the Gulf. Since this approach provides all the needed cooling year round, Google claims to not have installed any mechanical chillers.

(Information source: https://www.google.ae/about/datacenters/efficiency/internal/#water-and-cooling)

critical facilities, maintaining control of the Indoor Air Quality to avoid contamination is crucial,” Abusaa reveals, and adds, “This is not only achieved through filtration but also through the design of data centres and operation and maintenance guidelines.” He is emphatic that filtration, dehumidification, access control and other practices should address the air-quality issue.

Reference 1. http://www. emersonnetworkpower.com/ documentation/en-us/brands/ liebert/documents/white%20 papers/enterprise-datacenter_24622.pdf

Combating ‘waste’ heat

“I

T, data centres and server equipment consume electricity and emit heat as a ‘waste product’,” says Ziad Youssef, Vice President of IT Business - UAE, Gulf Countries at Schneider Electric. “At such Ziad Youssef an enclosed environment with sensitive technology, the heat can be damaging.”

As data centres experience exponential growth in the region, he believes that new solutions to curtail the simultaneous rise in energy costs will be essential. “One such solution is cooling – which is critical to the smooth functioning of a data centre, and to the maintenance of hardware carrying mission-critical enterprise data,” he says.

October 2015

49

perspective

Piping Systems

Mechanical couplings can be direct buried following the same guidelines as welded and split sleeve systems

Getting into the groove Direct buried piping systems were one of the original applications for mechanical couplings and have been incorporated successfully in buried services for over 95 years.

Simon Ouellette discusses buried pipework installation challenges and explains why mechanical joints are increasingly popular today for buried piping applications.

U

npredictable conditions can make the outdoor installation of pipework more difficult. A full range of pipe-joining solutions can be used in buried piping, including welding, flanging and mechanical grooved systems, with all these offering different performance benefits and disadvantages.

While techniques have varied

50

October 2015

considerably over the years – flanging was employed by the Romans and mechanical pipe joining is a relatively recent 20th century development – pipe joining remains a critical area where choice of method can have a great impact on a project. Skill levels and ease and speed of operations are key factors that determine not only installation costs but also

maintenance costs over time.

A traditional welded system requires highly skilled workers and is labour-intensive. To install and repair welded piping systems, workers have to cut out a damaged pipe section, which is time-consuming, can cause operational concerns and pose safety hazards.

In a traditional flanged system, multiple bolts are

needed to create a joint, and adding and removing these bolts is a time-consuming process, as this must be done manually and there must be space around the joint for this operation to take place. For example, a 12-inch flange joint requires 12 bolts to be added or removed.

The grooved system

With mechanical pipe joints, typically only two bolts need to be removed to access the system, allowing more time-efficient maintenance procedures. Additionally, unlike a flanged joint, a two-bolt coupling can be “free floated” around the pipe for quick alignment adjustment and easy access. Mechanical pipe joining systems also require fewer installation man-hours than alternative methods.

Grooved mechanical pipe joining is a no-flame joining technique of forming or cutting a groove in pipe ends and then joining them with bolted housings around a sealed gasket. Since being made commercially available

in 1919, it has become a preferred joining method on many piping applications, compared to welding, threading and flanging, and is commonly used in water systems technology projects.

A mechanical joint comprises four elements: grooved pipe, a gasket, coupling housings and a pair of nuts and bolts. The pipe groove is made by cold forming or machining a groove into the end of a pipe. The key section of the coupling housings engage the groove, and the bolts and nuts are tightened with a socket wrench or impact wrench, and hold the housings together.

The coupling housings engage in the groove around the circumference of the pipe and encase the gasket. A pressure-responsive gasket then

In other systems, such as District Heating, there is likely to be many hundreds of metres â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sometimes kilometres â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of pipework, which may include largediameter pipe (350mm and above). Often, pipe will be located in inaccessible trenches or buried, requiring solutions for accommodating thermal movement

creates a seal-unified joint that is enhanced when the system is pressurised.

For engineers, the benefits of the grooved system are many: The design versatility of the joint can allow both rigidity and flexibility throughout a system when necessary; a mechanical joint provides noise and vibration attenuation, seismic relief, and accommodates for thermal expansion and contraction. Added to these benefits, the system provides a union at every joint for ease of system maintenance and expansion.

Buried couplings

Installing pipework outdoors can create numerous difficulties for engineers. Many problems may be caused by harsh external conditions, including

the weather, difficult terrain, ground swell and landslides.

Access to basic amenities is also often an issue. It is not always easy to bring a

generator to remote areas in tough climatic conditions, whilst ensuring maximum safety levels are maintained. Delays are a common outcome.

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October 2015

51

perspective

Piping Systems

Over a number of years, land may be subjected to ground movements and displacement, which can create stresses on pipes and even lead to underground breakages. This is very difficult for engineers to control. However, flexible couplings offer additional security, and can accommodate these potential misalignments without the need to install expensive and delicate specialised equipment.

The deflection characteristics of grooved systems offer significant benefits. They minimise the stresses that result from movement caused by ground and system thermal changes, settlement and seismic effects.

Flexibility must also be provided at ground breakthroughs to accommodate differential settlement of piping.

None of these characteristics are simultaneously available in any other alternative joining technique, such as flanging, threading or welding.

In fact, mechanical couplings can be directly buried following the same guidelines as welded and split sleeve systems, and there are no special design considerations with respect to pipe and joint loading. Direct burial will not adversely affect joint performance or reliability.

Mechanical joining systems provide a fully restrained pipe joint, while also allowing for flexibility at the joint.

External coverings, such as heat shrink tubing, tapes or wraps, mastics, wax and asphaltic tapes, may be applied directly over couplings

Field advantages

Grooved systems help alleviate many of the other problems associated with using alternative joining methods in the field.

Mechanical joints are perfect for outdoor, remote use, as they can be hand-assembled, obviate the need for power tools and can be mounted under any weather conditions, unlike welds, which need dry pipe.

Couplings provide visual confirmation of proper installation and there is no need for X-ray testing. With a

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Direct buried piping systems were one of the original applications for mechanical couplings, and they have been incorporated successfully in buried services for over 95 years

union at every joint, they offer added flexibility and are more easily adjusted if alterations are needed.

Another benefit of using grooved mechanical piping systems is that their flame-free assembly reduces the risk of fire, as well as other hazards during installation. This is very important in outdoor installations, where the risk of using hotworks in dry conditions is high.

In addition, a trench carrying a flanged or welded pipe must be nearly twice the width of a trench carrying a grooved line, so using grooved technology lowers labour and time requirements, as well as the environmental impact.

At a recent penstock line installation in Canoe Creek, Canada, the use of the grooved system successfully narrowed the piping trench from 13 metres to six metres in the Pacific Rim Rainforest.

In other systems, such as District Heating, there is likely to be many hundreds of metres â&#x20AC;&#x201C; sometimes kilometres â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of pipework, which may include large-diameter pipe (350mm and above). Often, the pipe will be located in inaccessible trenches or buried, requiring

Joint continuity is achieved by the high contact forces that occur between the coupling housings and the pipe in the area of the groove/restraint ring solutions for accommodating thermal movement.

Whilst welding has traditionally been used to join pipework, on large projects with poor access, not only the welding operation itself but also the essential site preparation and the need to move welding equipment during the job will take considerable time.

Speed and ease

The speed of implementation is a very important factor, whether the project owner is a public agency or a private company. Grooved systems are dramatically faster than conventional solutions even in perfect construction conditions, lowering costs and limiting exposure to risk.

With measurable time savings between 35% and 50% compared to welding, grooved systems can contribute significantly to meeting tough deadlines. In harsh climatic conditions, the difference is even more impressive. Also, pipe misalignments during installation are easier to resolve, as angles can be changed more easily.

Maintenance is also much easier with grooved joints, which are easily maintained and easily expandable. It can take all day to unbolt a flanged joint depending on size. Compare this with only few minutes needed to unlock even a large-diameter grooved coupling.

Protection and corrosion

As with other alternative methods of joining pipe, the effects of soil conditions

on buried systems must be incorporated into the system design to prevent corrosion.

Special coatings and/or cathodic protection may be applied to ensure system longevity. Product applications and processes regarding direct burial and corrosion protection methods are not unique to pipe joints installed with mechanical couplings.

System designers should review ground soil conditions and make a determination of the appropriate coating for the application. On steel or iron piping systems, the same type of protection system used on the pipe may also be used for couplings.

While some grooved couplings are manufactured from ductile iron with zinc electroplated carbon steel hardware as a standard, coatings may also be applied in the field directly on to installed couplings.

External coverings, such as heat shrink tubing, tapes or wraps, mastics, wax and asphaltic tapes may also be applied directly over couplings.

These coverings will provide the same corrosion protection as they do with other alternative joining methods, and can be installed in the same manner.

For added corrosion protection, stainless steel bolting is an alternative to plated steel for buried applications.

protected. Grounding of buried systems is necessary to ensure proper protection of a piping system from outside sources of electrical activity, such as lightning strikes, power line breaks and stray currents.

Grounding is also necessary to ensure that static electricity within a pipeline does not build to a potentially dangerous level.

Stainless steel and bare steel direct buried systems are naturally grounded and do not require additional grounding. However, systems that incorporate coatings or wraps may need earthing along selected locations of the piping system.

Stainless steel, bare, painted, or galvanised grooved and bolted couplings, when installed on uncoated, galvanised or enamel-painted pipe ends will

provide continuity across the pipe joint through the coupling housing.

This is important for systems that are grounded only at select locations, and where continuity across the pipe joints is required. Joint continuity is achieved by the high contact forces that occur between the coupling housings and the pipe in the area of the groove/ restraint ring.

Similar to other joining methods, when the mating surfaces of either the pipe end or coupling are coated with something other than paint or galvanising prior to coupling installation, the use of grounding clips and/or grounding blocks will maintain continuity across the joint. It should be noted that in the

Grounding and bonding

It is important for all pipejoining methods that system designers follow good piping practices and ensure buried systems are adequately

October 2015

53

perspective

Piping Systems

event cathodic protection of the piping system is incorporated, the coupling housings must always be connected to the grounding method to ensure bonding of the coupling housing to the protected pipeline occurs.

Bonding of buried systems may be necessary to ensure electrical continuity through pipe joints and/or continuity with adjacent piping systems.

Bonding is achieved by direct connection of the two materials to be bonded together through the use of jumper wires, continuity clips or some other means of providing continuity between the two materials.

Cathodic protection

Cathodic protection is a technique used to control the corrosion of a material by making it the cathode of an electro-chemical cell. It is employed to protect a wide range of ferrous metallic equipment and structures in various environments, such as pipelines, ships, tanks, casings and offshore platforms.

Cathodic protection of a piping system can be accomplished by several methods, the most common of which are the use of hot dip galvanising and high-zinccontent coatings. The zinc coats the carbon steel surface

connection and even protection of the joint. Continuity between the pipe and coupling is necessary to ensure the couplings do not experience accelerated corrosion.

Summary

the anatomy of a grooved mechanical joint

acting as a sacrificial anode preventing the corrosion of the underlying and surrounding material.

However, as with all sacrificial coatings, the coating will eventually become depleted and will no longer be able to protect the underlying material, typically carbon steel, from corrosion. Other methods of cathodic protection include the installation of zinc anodes directly on to the surface of the material to be protected or the use of zinc-rich corrosionresistant paints and coatings.

In areas where pipeline integrity and longevity is required, and where pipeline integrity must be monitored, the

use of imposed current cathodic protection can be applied. This method of protection utilises localised sacrificial anodes or remote anode beds along with an imposed current to ensure that corrosion protection is present even along the length of the pipeline. This method is often used in conjunction with pipeline coatings.

As with grounding, continuity of the pipeline is required to ensure the imposed current can freely travel the length of the protected area.

Couplings installed in an area protected by cathodic protection must be in direct contact or bonded to the pipe to ensure continuity through the

Summing up the benefits, there is scope for significant financial savings by using mechanical grooved piping systems. Faster field installation, elimination of hotworks and reduced need for expansion joints all add up to advantages that are particularly important when choosing a system for a project in the current economic environment.

Selecting a high quality and innovative mechanical grooved piping system can bring improvements in productivity.

In a sector where margins are increasingly tight, this is an attractive option for consultants, engineers and system designers alike. ď ś

The writer is Engineering Manager at Victaulic. He can be contacted at simon. ouellette@victaulic.com

CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.

SNIPPETS

Getting under the weather

Death by air

I

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f scientist Karen Aplin from the University of Oxford and five of her colleagues are to be believed, climate change has made inroads into various facets of our lives surreptitiously, including music and verse. The scientists have apparently combed through databases of more than 15,000 pop songs, finding statistical backing for the assumption that the weather strongly affects our moods, which are then reflected in the music artistes compose as well as in public taste.

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ccording to a report by WHO, deaths due to air pollution have increased fourfold across the globe over the past decade, with china and India being the worst-affected countries. The report estimated that about 4.3 million deaths each year, most in developing countries, are associated with exposure to indoor air pollution. A further 3.7 million deaths a year are attributed to ambient or outdoor air pollution. The report underscores the risks of an increasing disease burden due to polluted air at home and outside.

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55

COUNTRY FEATURE

IRAN

IRAN

in the HVACR race

The landmark nuclear deal sealed between world powers and Iran has been hailed a triumph by many industry players in Iran and elsewhere, especially in the context of doing business in the country. HVAcr industry leaders share their views on the current state of the industry and how lifting sanctions on Iran will widen opportunities for the sector. by rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

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he recent developments in Iran should put a smile on the faces of many HVACR manufacturers in the region. The situation appears to be more than buoyant, according to Hesam Afzali, Technical Manager at Smart Cool Group. “We have an upcoming exhibition in October, called IRAN HVAC&R (see side-bar: Exhibit: Iran), and we have observed that there are several international requests,” he says.

“Several companies want to participate in the exhibition, with the intention of investing in Iran and getting a sizable market-share.”

Though Afzali acknowledges that the sanctions have not been lifted completely, he observes that there have been several enquiries recently from industries worldwide showing interests. He believes that Iranian companies now are more willing to export to other countries.

Market size and demand drivers

To get a clear picture on the current market size of the HVACR industry in Iran, one would have to analyse it in an indirect manner. Doing this is Farzin Navai, the General Manager at Mech.

El. Engineers Co., who says that Iran’s construction business was about USD 80 billion for 2013, with a turnover of USD 38 billion. “There are some

estimation that this [construction] market will reach USD 150 billion by next year,” he says, adding that Iran’s total electricity production for 2012 was around 69,000 MW. He elaborates: “According to official estimates, Iran uses about 30% of its electricity for buildings – residential and commercial. If we consider the usual 50% for HVACR of total energy consumptions,

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October 2015

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COUNTRY FEATURE

The number of new coal mines opening each year in the U.S. has fallen to its lowest point in at least a decade: http:// buff.ly/1Jqk1Ti

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October 2015

IRAN

The business of big commercial buildings are abundant now – in the range of 50,000 square metres to more thAN 500,000 square metres there would be a huge demand for all the varieties of HVAC and related products.” He surmises that building HVAC systems in Iran can be estimated to be valued at USD 10 billion, annually.

Afzali agrees that construction is one of the major demand drivers in Iran. “Because of the upcoming towers and shopping malls, there is a demand for new centralised systems,” he says. “Even old buildings are changing their evaporative coolers to split units. Nowadays, even in small apartments, people prefer using centralised chillers.”

In addition to the construction sector being one of the catalysts for HVACR demand, Afzali claims that the market craves for new technologies and energy-efficient products.

Another aspect that one must factor in for the demand for new technologies is the fact that Iran has a four-season climate. “You could find cities in Iran with summer temperatures ranging from 48 degrees C to 29 degrees C,” Navai explains. “Furthermore, the average minimum temperature in some major cities in winter could go to -18 degrees C. So, when we want to talk about HVAC and construction industries in Iran, heating is quite as important as cooling and refrigeration.”

Another reason why Iranians prefer new

Hesam Afzali

Farzin Navai

technologies, Afzali says, is because evaporative cooling cannot handle different climates. “Many people in Iran have their own apartment,” he points out. “So they prefer using something that lasts longer, consumes less power and is energy efficient.” Another important fact he shares is that Iran has different tariffs for different times, and people prefer installing intelligent control systems to manage the demand based on data.

“These things [intelligent control systems],” he says,

T

“are much easier with a centralised system rather than evaporative cooling.”

Recognising challenges and tackling them

Owing to various seasons across Iran, Afzali highlights that there is no one-sizefits-all solution when it comes to the HVACR sector. Other challenges, in Navai’s opinion, are maintaining a stable economy, establishing strong and long-term strategies with the government and local manufacturers, competing with international players, investing on new technologies and improving local regulations.

To overcome such challenges and to increase market penetration, most Iranian manufacturers are thinking of importing new items and trying to get into international business.

“Before they were only thinking of how to copy technologies,” Afzali says.

“Now, they want different European companies to buy things from them.” Iranian manufacturers entering the GCC market is another significant trend. And they know they have to improve the quality of their products to carve out a niche for themselves. “This is a time to compete with not only other Iranian manufacturers but also foreign manufacturers,” Afzali says.

he 14th IrAN HVAc&r 2015 will be held from October 17 to 20 at Tehran International Permanent Fairground, and is expected to have hundreds of industrial companies and experts participating. The exhibition organiser claims that it will provide companies with a great opportunity to showcase their brands and help them develop their network of business partners in new regions. For more information: http://www.iranhvac.com/en/iran-hvacr/exhibition-profile.

Iran opens its doors After the signing of the nuclear deal, many countries and companies appear to be enthusiastic about reviving their business ties with Iran, which for long, was under a global trade embargo. Iranian leaders have reciprocated this interest in conducting business in many sectors, including technology and manufacturing. Here are a few of the sectors that would immediately benefit from a sanction-free Iran …

T

he first sector of interest in Iran would be the energy sector, followed by the arms industry. The others are Iran’s consumer and technology markets. With a population of roughly 80 million, Iran is demographically the second largest in the region, and the 17th largest in the world.

Western companies and products appear to have an edge over others in Iran’s consumer market. Nevertheless, the process of doing business with Iran in full swing is still going to take time, as sanctions will be lifted in stages.

When it comes to the Gulf region, Dubai is expected to witness increased trade from an economically free Iran. More than 75% of Iran’s trade in the Gulf is conducted with the UAE. In addition, Iran is UAE’s fourth largest trading and business partner after China. (Information Source: http://www. huffingtonpost.com/majid-rafizadeh/doing-business-withpost_b_7960484.html)

Iran and the GCC region – learning from each other

Navai believes there ought to be more communication between engineers in the GCC region and Iran to make exchange of learning possible. In his opinion, Iran has capable construction engineers who are quite up-to-date on the latest developments in the sector. “The business of big commercial buildings are abundant now – in the range of 50,000 square metres to more than 500,000 square metres,” he reveals. “Some of these projects are quite complicated but are under way without any major issues.”

Afzali seconds this view, saying: “There are several big projects in Iran owing to its population.” Voicing the general mood, he adds: “We are interested in doing projects in the GCC area.

Manufacturers are also thinking of exporting their products to the GCC area.

The GCC and Iran can truly benefit from each other.”

HAVE YOUR SAY! We welcome your views on the article. Write to editor@cpi-industry.com

Shoush Commercial Centre in Tehran: A 132,000-square-metre shopping centre with 24,000 RT. Under construction. (Mechanical Designer and Project Manager: Farzin Navai at Mech. El. Engineers Co.)

Paradise II in Kerman city: A 68,000-square-metre commercial building with 16,000 RT. Under Construction. (Mechanical Designer and Project Manager: Farzin Navai at Mech. El. Engineers Co.)

October 2015

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COUNTRY REPORT

TURKEY

TURKEY

SPREADS ITS WINGS In the last decade, Turkeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HVAcr sector has turned its attention to the export market. Superior technology, backed by r&D, the rising number of manufacturers with international certifications and quality standards, improved marketing techniques and well-established after-sales service system, are some of the reasons for the sector making a mark globally, say industry experts.

by rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

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October 2015

T

hanks to Turkey’s Mediterranean climate – hot summers and cold winters – it needs extensive indoor cooling or heating right round the year.

This accounts for a perennial demand for HVACR products. In terms of revenue, Levent Taşkın, General Manager at Danfoss, says that the local HVACR market size is about USD 2.5 billion, with the current export value standing at USD 5 billion, the target in the next 10 years being pegged at about USD 25 billion per year.

What’s behind this?

Ali Türker, General Manager at ODE, lists a few of the demand drivers for the market: • Increasing respect and trust for Turkish products in the international arena – Turkish HVACR products are exported to over 200 different custom zones • Growing prosperity of Turkey • Change in consumer attitude and perception towards green products • Increase in demand for comfortable living standards and “smart houses” Türker reveals that Turkish consumers prefer “homeproduced products”, which has helped the sector successfully create its own brands. Türker adds: “These Turkish brands are gaining ground in the international arena, too, especially in EU.” He observes that in recent years, local HVACR companies have begun to form joint ventures with global firms, creating knowledge and technology transfer opportunities for both Turkey and the HVACR sector.

With products, such as split air conditioning systems, boilers, DX units, fan coils, Air Handling Units, refrigerators, freezers, VRF systems, cooling towers, chillers, cold rooms, heating and cooling coils and rooftop/packaged units, Taşkın highlights that Turkey’s wide product range is sufficient to “flood” international markets. In his view, the ongoing construction activity in the region acts as a catalyst for the HVACR sector. “As per government plans, there is expected growth at a CAGR as high as 10% until 2022,” Taşkın informs, and highlights that according to a new regulation, central cooling is mandatory for new buildings that are more than 2,000 square metres, which will, in turn, increase the demand for the sector that has already registered growth.

Made in Turkey Manufacturers in Turkey, in a bid to gain market share in the Middle East and Europe, are reducing their product cost, says Taşkın. He adds: “The government is also supporting manufacturers with incentives. This essentially motivates Turkish manufacturers to increase their brand awareness.” Türker agrees when he says, “Branding is the number one priority for increasing the market share.” Apart from this, he thinks that building a marketing team with technical knowledge is

October 2015

61

COUNTRY REPORT

#CAdrought, wildfires, extreme weather, rising seas.

It's clear we have to #ActOnClimate now and pass #SB32 #SB350.

Leonardo DiCaprio @LeoDiCaprio

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October 2015

TURKEY

essential. “Additionally, R&D plays a significant role in transforming commodities into value-added products,” Türker underlines. “Since Turkish HVACR manufacturers give high priority to innovation and new product development, research and development activities are continuously conducted.”

Türker goes on to reveal that around 15 years ago, until elastomeric rubber foam was discovered, it was glass wool that was considered an alternative to elastomeric rubber foam. He claims that now there are specialised forms of rubber foams that are being produced as a result of such R&D activities.

“R&D merges the market needs with the capabilities of companies, delivering satisfying results,” he sums up.

Another development, reveals Taşkın, is that Turkey has been announced as the official “Partner Country” for the ISH 2017 Frankfurt Fair, which is one of the world’s leading fairs in the field of energy-efficient heating and air conditioning technologies, renewable energies and innovative bathroom designs.

“Turkey being a partner country for the fair, to be held in the year 2017, will provide more opportunities for promoting the Turkish HVACR sector and for consolidating and developing the made-in-Turkey image,” Taşkın proudly claims.

Thinking globally With its 12,000-strong active exporting firms, Türker says that Turkey is one of the leading countries worldwide in the HVACR sector. “The sector enjoys a continuous increase in exports,” Türker reiterates, and explains: “In the last decade, the exports have increased six-fold.

We, at ODE, are proud of being a part of this success,

the HVACR exports to Germany has increased to USD 419 million in the year 2014, which is nine per cent more compared to the previous year

Taming Turkey How have regulations and standards in Turkey, established over the years, be they related to energy efficiency, reliability, ease of installation or sustainable practices, impacted the HVACR industry?

Ali Türker, General Manager at ODE, says: “The Regulation on Thermal Insulation in Buildings focused on insulation. It was introduced to reduce the energy consumption of new buildings to be constructed and existing buildings to be rehabilitated to a certain extent. This regulation was revised in 1998 and became compulsory in 2000. It complements the National Insulation Standards for New Buildings (TS 825 standard). The Regulation sets the limit for annual heating energy requirements in buildings, which are different, depending on the climatic zone (defined in the TS 825 standard). Since the implementation of the regulation, thermal insulation has started to become an indispensable need for buildings. Another point is that at the beginning of 2003, in order to sell products in the Turkish market, it became obligatory for Turkish HVACR market to fulfil CE requirements.”

Levent Taşkın, General Manager at Danfoss, says: “When it comes to refrigerants, we don’t have any certain regulations.

Only for some cases, such as R12, R22, etc., where it is forbidden or to be used in limited amounts. We hope that the first step of F-Gas Regulation will be accepted by the end of the year.

The Environment Ministry has all the procedures in place (they have worked on it for more than three years). However, because of the general election, and the delay in formation of a government, the F-Gas Regulation couldn’t be realised.

The other regulations are energy-efficiency certificates, starting from A to A+++ and the mandatory requirement of high-efficiency pumps, which is expected to be implemented in 2016.”

‘The time’s now!’

At the recent Cityscape Global Dubai 2015 event held at the World Trade Centre on September 8-10, Turkish developers, amongst others, showcased a host of new property projects.

An interview with İbrahim Kahraman, Chief Financial Officer at Siyahkalem Engineering Construction, one of the developers at the event, revealed a sense of optimism in Turkey’s real estate sector, despite the present global economic scenario.

“C

urrently, Turkey is the most attractive real estate destination because of its increased GDP and economic growth,” Kahraman said. Talking about his project, KÖY, meaning “The Village” in Turkish, he claimed that KÖY spans across an area of 467,000 square metres and promises young urban families a quality of life that has so far been accessible only to high-end villa owners. The land, he said, is owned by a semi-government firm, Emlak Konut Real Estate Investment Company, which is responsible for the construction completion and delivery of units to home owners. Giving details, he said, “It is also the first project in Turkey designed and developed in accordance with LEED Neighborhood Development criteria, which is one of the world’s benchmarks for high-performance Green Buildings that recognises best-in-class building strategies and practices.”

When asked whether such projects are viable considering the present economic slowdown, he responded: “Yes, there are still a lot of takers for such projects. This is a green project.” He added with optimism, “This economic problem is cyclic; it comes and goes.” He claimed that since the inception of the project, 60% of the first phase had already been sold. “The time’s now,” he reiterated throughout the conversation, highlighting the positive mood in the country’s construction sector.

too.” ODE claims to have exported 4,000 different kinds of insulation materials to 75 countries. As per a 2010 report titled, “HVAC­R INDUSTRY” by Tolga Taylan, the main export markets are the UK, Germany, France, Iraq and Italy. Taşkın elaborates: “Turkish HVACR sector’s biggest exports are destined for Germany; the HVACR exports to Germany has increased to USD 419 million in the year 2014, which is nine per cent more compared to the previous year. The other places of export are the UK, France and the Middle East.”

Speaking of future strategies, Taşkın reveals that the GCC region is one of the main target export markets that Turkey’s HVACR sector is eyeing.

“Many Turkish companies

have their branches in Dubai, Saudi and Kuwait,” Taşkın, citing information from the Turkish economic mid-term plan, confirms, and underlines, “ISIB, an HVACR Exporter Association related to the government, has certain GCC countries as export targets until 2020.” Evidently, Turkey, is, indeed, set to take flight.

HAVE YOUR SAY! We welcome your views on the article. Write to editor@cpi-industry.com

www.beteccad.com

İbrahim Kahraman

HVACR industry over the years

A

ccording to “HVAC­R INDUSTRY”, a 2010 report by Tolga Taylan, the Turkish HVACR manufacturers started their operations in the 1950s. Since then, the Turkish air conditioning and heating sector has been growing rapidly, both in production and capacity. The increase in population and living standards has resulted in the need to come up with more HVACR products, the report says. However, it adds that the actual market development began in the late 1980s. The number of companies and the type of equipment available in the Turkish HVACR market increased in the 1990s, the report further states.

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Making history: Negotiating a global agreement on HFCs under the Montreal Protocol Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) participated at the 36th Openended Working Group (OEWG) of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in Paris on July 2024. In this context, EIA campaigners prepared a report analysing the current amendment proposals for an HFC phase-down, which will help climate negotiations in Dubai in November. It also has great relevance to the Conference of Parties (COP21) which will take place in Paris in December. We bring you the report.

INTRODUCTION

Parties to the Montreal Protocol have a vital role to play in the greatest challenge of our time – climate change. In the build up to the Climate Change Conference in Paris in December 2015, the Montreal Protocol can provide critical momentum for the climate negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by reaching agreement this November at the 27th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in Dubai (27th MoP), to regulate the production and consumption of hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) under the Montreal Protocol.

HFCs are included among

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October 2015

the seven greenhouse gases (GHG) targeted by the UNFCCC, but are primarily used as replacements for ozone-depleting substances (ODS), controlled under the Montreal Protocol. Despite their ostensible regulation under the Kyoto Protocol, over the past 25 years, HFC emissions have grown from essentially non-existent to nearly two per

cent of all GHGs. Emissions of HFCs continue to grow faster than any other GHG, and their growth is predicted to accelerate in the future.1 The Parties to the Montreal Protocol have a unique opportunity to lead the global community in the fight against climate change by taking responsibility for the production and consumption of HFCs. At the 36th Openended Working Group (OEWG), Parties had four amendment proposals to consider, offering a diverse range of options to phase down the production and consumption of HFCs.2 Together with the Conference Room Paper submitted by the Africa States at the 35th OEWG,3 these proposals have been submitted on behalf of 95 governments representing approximately 3.5 billion people – roughly half the world’s population.

The proposals build on previous proposals and numerous declarations from the Parties urging action on HFCs under the Montreal Protocol.4 They have been buttressed by workshops and reports from the Technical and Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP) reaffirming that technically proven, environmentally sound and cost-effective alternatives

Most, if not all, current HCFC consumption in non-A5 Parties is dedicated to servicing installed equipment, which should not be replaced with high-GWP HFCs at end-of-life

to HFCs exist in most sectors, and are available to the Parties in order to replace HFCs.5 If an ambitious amendment is adopted swiftly, it could prevent the consumption of more than 100 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) HFCs by 2050,6 providing 10 times more climate mitigation than the Kyoto Protocol achieved from 1990-2012.7

Core elements of an hfc phase-down

In addition to finance and technology transfer, which are at the heart of the Montreal Protocol’s success, historically there have been three core elements of production and consumption phase-outs under the Montreal Protocol, namely, the baseline, reduction schedule

and grace period for Parties operating under Article 5 (“A5 Parties”). An additional element of importance is the final step of the reduction schedule, since all amendment proposals to date are proposing a phase-down, and not a phase-out, of HFCs.

Baseline

Although the reference years and percentages are different, all four proposals use some combination of HFCs and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) to calculate the baseline (on a CO2e basis).

For Parties not operating

under Article 5 (“non-A5 Parties”), there is convergence on a methodology that relies on recent HFC production

and consumption, coupled with some percentage of HCFCs and the starting points are similar. For A5 Parties, the methodologies applied to the baseline vary more widely.

Current HFC consumption in A5 Parties is estimated by TEAP to be approximately 705 million tonnes (Mt) CO2e. According to EIA’s calculations, the baselines in the four proposals range from 846 Mt CO2e in the North America (NA) Proposal to over 2,400 Mt CO2e in the India Proposal,

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a more than three-fold increase in HFC consumption. Parties should avoid setting the baseline too high in order to prevent unnecessary growth in HFC production and consumption in advance of the reduction schedule.

Since A5 Parties are still primarily relying on HCFCs, there is an opportunity for A5 Parties to ‘leapfrog’ dead-end HFC technologies and undertake a one-time transition from HCFCs to low-GWP alternatives

Reduction schedule

Since the first HFC amendment proposals were made in 2009, significantly more information is now available to the Parties to inform their consideration of reduction schedules. For both non-A5 and A5 Parties, TEAP has outlined a number of mitigation scenarios, the scenarios for non-A5 Parties being particularly conservative.8 Indeed, the European Union (EU) has already adopted an HFC phase-down for its 28 Member States that is far more ambitious than TEAP’s MIT-2 scenario for non-A5 Parties.9 TEAP’s MIT-3 scenario for A5 Parties is challenging, but achievable with a large-scale transition to currently available low-GWP technologies in new equipment.

It should be noted, however, that a transition to GWP 300 in place of truly low-GWP alternatives will ultimately result in resumed growth of HFC consumption (in CO2e terms) over time due to the growth in demand for refrigeration and air-conditioning (AC) in A5 Parties.10

swift adoption in A5 Parties at past, however, the long grace reduced costs. period often meant that A5 Parties were offered outdated and unsustainable technologies COMPARISON OF no longer in demand in non-A5 PROPOSED HFC Parties. Since A5 Parties are AMENDMENTS still primarily relying on HCFCs, Proposals for non-A5 there is an opportunity for A5 Parties Parties to ‘leapfrog’ dead-end Using HFC consumption data HFC technologies and undertake from the June 2015 TEAP a one-time transition from report Decision XXXVI/9 Task HCFCs to low-GWP alternatives. Force Report – Additional To do this, the grace period Information on Alternatives to needs to be limited in order to Ozone-Depleting Substances prevent a massive growth in the and HCFC consumption data uptake of HFC technologies in from the Ozone Secretariat A5 Parties concomitant with the website,11 EIA has analysed the HCFC phase-out. In addition, four proposals submitted by: it is necessary to implement Canada, Mexico and the United an early HFC phase-down in States (the “North America non-A5 Parties that expands proposal” or EU proposal”); the commercialisation and and from India (the “India market penetration of low-GWP proposal”).

FIGURE 1: COMPARISON OF HFC CONSUMPTION IN NON-A5 PARTIES IN THE PROPOSED HFC AMENDMENTS technologies, to allow for their Figure 1 compares HFC TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL

Grace period

Throughout the history of the Montreal Protocol, non-A5 Parties have implemented control measures to reduce their production and consumption of controlled substances in advance of A5 Parties. This grace period is one way in which the Montreal Protocol implements the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, the rationale being to allow time for replacement technologies to develop before being transferred to A5 Parties. In the

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October 2015

Figure 1: comparison of hfc consumption in non-A5 parties in the proposed hfc amendments to the montreal protocol

Figure 1 compares HFC consumption in the four proposed non-A5 Parties’ reduction schedules and includes the 2014 EU F-Gas Regulation as a frame of reference. Table 1 outlines the basic components of the four proposals and calculates cumulative HFC consumption

GtCO2e in HFC consumption during the 2015-2040 period.

In addition, it is unclear why all four proposals include a significant HCFC component in the baseline, in particular the EU and India proposals. Allowable

TABLE 1: BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE NON-A5 PROPOSALS AND POTENTIAL HFC CONSUMPTION REDUCTIONS

consumption in the four proposed non-A5 Parties’ reduction schedules and includes the 2014 EU F-Gas Regulation as a frame of reference. Table 1 outlines the basic components of the four proposals and cumulative HFC consumption reductions from 2015-2040, based upon TEAP business-as-usual (BAU) data extrapolated to 2040.12 As Figure 1 shows, the proposed level of ambition for non-A5 Parties is lower than unilateral measures already being implemented in these countries. In April 2014, the EU and its 28 Member States, which together constitute a majority of non-Article 5 Parties, adopted the EU as Regulation, which sets out to achieve a 79% reduction in HFC consumption by 2030 from current levels.

ISLANDS

NORTH AMERICA

PROPOSAL

EUROPEAN UNION

INDIA

100% HFC (2011-2013) + 10% of the HCFC baseline

100% HFC (2011-2013) + 75% HCFC (2011-2013)

Baseline

100% HFC (2009-2012) + 45% “Allowable” HCFC (2009-2012)

100% HFC (2013-2015) + 25% HCFC (2013-2015)

660 Mt CO2e

632 Mt CO2e

Calculated Baseline

656 Mt CO2e

842 Mt CO2e

2017 – 85% 2021 – 65% 2025 – 45% 2029 – 25% 2033 – 10%

2019 – 90% 2024 – 65% 2030 – 30% 2036 – 15%

Reduction Schedule

2019 – 85% 2023 – 60% 2028 – 30% 2034 – 15%

2016 – 100% 2018 – 90% 2023 – 65% 2029 – 30% 2035 – 15%

15.4 Gt CO2e

13.4 Gt CO2e

HFC Consumption Reductions from BAU 2015-2050 (HFC-23 Excluded)

14.3 Gt CO2e

11.9 Gt CO2e

Table 1: Basic elements of the non-A5 proposals and potential HFC consumption reductions that as HCFCs are phased out, there • the HCFC component on the non-A5 is room for a certain amount of HFC baseline should be limited to a small growth up to the combined freeze fraction of allowable or actual HCFC level. For the purposes of the graph, consumption under the current HCFC the EU proposal assumes that HCFCs phase-out schedule; are phased out strictly according to the schedule.

• all non-A5 Parties should take ambitious unilateral steps to address As can be seen in Figure 2, all four HFCs and demonstrate the efficacy of proposals are achievable under the low-GWP HFC-free technologies, MIT-3 scenario as far as 2030 (the particularly in the refrigeration and date to which TEAP modelled MIT-3).

AC sectors.

PRIME TECHNOLOGIES LLC Proposals for A5 parties

The Islands and NA proposals put forward steps that are close to the MIT-3 scenario, while the EU and India A5 Parties’ schedules against the new proposals are much closer to the BAU MIT-3 scenario outlined in the June scenario. Both the EU and India proposals 2015 TEAP report. According to TEAP, rely on the future establishment of a MIT-3 assumes that bans on the use of reduction schedule for the HFC phasecertain high-GWP chemicals enter intoMECHANICAL down, with the EU proposal requiring force in new manufacturing as of 2020, Parties to agree a schedule by 2020 and with an average GWP of replacement the India proposal allowing A5 Parties refrigerants of 300 for both the commercial to determine national steps five years in refrigeration and the stationary AC sectors. The scenario assumes a six-year advance of each five-year period. To the extent reduction schedules are to be manufacturing conversion period and established at a future date, those HFC consumption data are only available reductions schedules should be governed from TEAP up to 2030. Data provided by criteria on technical feasibility as for foams is also taken into account, well as cost-effectiveness considerations, based on previous TEAP assessments.14 with the primary objective being to minimise HFC emissions. EIA does not The EU proposal differs significantly support nationally determined steps, as from the other amendment proposals for it would add considerable complexity for A5 Parties, as it envisages a freeze of the implementation of the phase-down the combined climate impacts of HFC under the Multilateral Fund (MLF) and and HCFC consumption (i.e. on a CO2e basis), while maintaining the existing uncertainty in terms of consumption HCFC phase-out schedule. This means reductions and costs. Substantial

Figure 2 compares theFOR four proposed EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTORS

ELECTRICAL

5

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Recommendations for non-A5 Parties:

• The HCFC component on the non-A5 baseline should be limited to a small fraction of The reduction schedule was • Non-A5 Parties should allowable or actual HCFC based on a thorough technical demonstrate leadership consumption under the current analysis that determined the through an ambitious HCFC phase-out schedule. swift adoption of safe and reduction schedule for HFCs, cost-effective alternatives, in starting within two years of an • All non-A5 Parties should FIGURE 2: HFC AMENDMENT PROPOSALS FOR A5 PARTIES, COMPARED TO TEAP MIT-3 SCENARIO take ambitious unilateral particular natural refrigerants, agreement under the Montreal The shaded area shows expected HFC consumption under the TEAP MIT-3 scenario with the refrigeration and 13 air-conditioning sector TO divided intoMIT-3 the specific HFCs likely to be used, namely (domestic refrigeration steps toHFC-134a address HFCs and was feasible.

Protocol.

Translated to all FIGURE 2: HFC AMENDMENT PROPOSALS FOR A5 PARTIES, COMPARED TEAP SCENARIO and mobile air-conditioning), R-404A/R-507 (commercial, industrial and transport refrigeration), and R-410A/R-407C non-A5 EUHFC F-Gas The shadedParties, area showsthe expected consumption under the TEAPair-conditioning).

MIT-3 scenario with the refrigeration and (stationary air-conditioningwould sector divided into the HFCs likely to be used, namely HFC-134a (domestic refrigeration Regulation result in specific a and mobile air-conditioning), R-404A/R-507 (commercial, industrial and transport refrigeration), and R-410A/R-407C reduction of more than 17.8 (stationary air-conditioning).

GtCO2e in HFC consumption during the 2015-2040 period.

In addition, it is unclear why all four proposals include a significant HCFC component in the baseline, in particular the EU and India proposals. Allowable HCFC consumption for non-A5 Parties is currently just 10% of the baseline, although many countries have already achieved complete phase-out.

Given that all non-A5 Parties recognise the need to reduce HFC emissions, the assumption that all remaining HCFC use will transition to HFCs (and is, therefore, required in the baseline) is misguided.

Most, if not all, current HCFC consumption in non-A5 Parties is Figure 2: hfc amendment proposals for a5 parties, compared to teap2: mit-3 scenario dedicated to servicing installed TABLE BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE A5 PROPOSALS AND POTENTIAL HFC CONSUMPTION REDUCTIONS The shaded area shows expected HFC consumption under the TEAP MIT-3 scenario with the equipment, which should not be refrigeration divided into the specific HFCs likely to be used, namely UNION ISLANDS and air-conditioning NORTHsector AMERICA PROPOSAL EUROPEAN replaced with high-GWP HFCs HFC-134a (domestic refrigeration and mobile air-conditioning), R-404A/R-507 (commercial, industrial and R-410A/R-407C (stationary at end-of-life.

100% HFCand transport refrigeration), Baseline air-conditioning).

100% HFC Consumption: (2015-2017)

(2011-2013)

TABLE 2: BASIC ELEMENTS OF THE A5 PROPOSALS AND REDUCTIONS + POTENTIAL HFC CONSUMPTION +

ISLANDS

NORTH AMERICA

100% HFC (2015-2017) + 65% HCFC (Baseline)

100% HFC (2011-2013) + 75% HCFC (2011-2013)

65% HCFC (Baseline)

75% HCFC (2011-2013)

PROPOSAL

EUROPEAN UNION

INDIA

100% HFCs (2015-16) + 100% HCFCs (2015-16)

I

1 ( + 3 (

Production:

Baseline

1,277 Mt CO2e 2020 – 85% 2025 – 65% 2030 – 45% 2035 – 25% 2040 – 10%

846 Mt CO2e 2021 – 100% 2026 – 80% 2032 – 40% 2046 – 15%

1,277 Mt CO2e

846 Mt CO2e

Calculated Consumption Baseline

2020 – 85% 2025 – 65% 2030 – 45% 2035 – 25% 2040 – 10%

2021 – 100% 2026 – 80% 2032 – 40% 2046 – 15%

Reduction Schedule 81.7 Gt CO2e

82.4 Gt CO2e

100% HFC 100% HFC Consumption: (2009-2012) (2028-2030) 100% HFCs + + (2015-16) HCFC 32.5% HCFC70% + (2009-2012) (2028-2030) 100% HCFCs (2015-16) Calculated Consumption 1,422 Mt CO2e Production: 100% HFC (2009-2012) + 70% HCFC (2009-2012)

2

Baseline

Reduction Schedule

Consumption: Freeze of combined HCFC and HFC CO2e consumption in 2019. Reduction schedule to be agreed by 2020 Production:

2,420 Mt CO2019 2e – 100%

1,422 Mt CO2e

2040 – 15% Reduction steps to be

Consumption: 2031 – 100%agreed by 2020 Freeze of combined HCFC Nationally Determined HFC Consumption Reduction Schedule [57.1 Gt CO2e]15 and HFC CO2e consumption Reductions from BAU2050 – 15% in 2019. Reduction schedule 2015-2050 to be agreed by 2020 (HFC-23 Excluded)

Production: 2019 – 100% 2040 – 15% Reduction steps to be agreed by 2020 81.7 Gt CO2e

82.4 Gt CO2e

HFC Consumption Reductions from BAU 2015-2050 (HFC-23 Excluded)

[57.1 Gt CO2e]15

Table 2: Basic elements of the A5 proposals and potential hfc consumption reductions

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October 2015

2 N R 2

[32.6 Gt CO2e]16

6

[

FIGURE 3: ISLANDS PROPOSAL TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL - HFC PHASE-DOWN

ISLANDS PROPOSAL PROPOSAL • ISLANDS The phase-down schedule in A5 Parties coincides with the remaining reduction steps in the HCFC phase-out.

FIGURE 4: NORTH AMERICA PROPOSAL TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL - HFC PHASE-DOWN

NORTH AMERICA PROPOSAL NORTH AMERICA PROPOSAL • Ambiguous on whether HFC-23 produced as a by-product of HCFC-22 production is counted toward A5 Parties’ baseline.17

• • The Excludes HFC-23 by-product from the HFC baseline for A5 Parties. phase-down schedule in A5 Parties

• Ambiguous onA5 whether • Varying grace periods for Parties of 2-10HFC-23 years. produced as a by-product of HCFC22 production is counted toward A5

• Varying grace periods for A5the Parties of 3-7 years. reduction coincides with remaining

steps in the HCFC phase-out

Figs 3-6 compare HFC production and consumption under the A5 and non-A5 schedules for each of the four amendment proposals, with key elements of each 17 proposal outlined below.HFC-23 For the purposes of the graphs, HFC production is assumedbaseline to be equivalent to TEAP’s estimate of HFC Parties’ • Excludes by-product from the in A5 and non-A5 Parties consumption in A5 and non-A5 Parties.

• Varying grace periods for A5 Parties of HFC baseline for A5 Parties 2-10 years • Varying grace periods for A5 Parties of 3-7years flexibility on a national level already Recommendations for A5 Parties: exists under the process of national

phase-out management plans (HPMP). under Figures 3-6 compare HFC production and consumption the A5period and for non-A5 schedules • the grace A5 Parties be short in order to promote for each of the four amendment proposals, with key elementsshould of each proposal outlined The four proposals contain large variations leapfrogging of HFCs to low-GWP below. For the purposes in ofthe thegrace graphs, period HFC offeredproduction to A5 Parties,in A5 and non-A5 Parties is technologies; from two to 15 years.

Given consumption the assumed to be equivalentranging to TEAP’s estimate of HFC in A5 and non-A5 Parties. proliferation of low-GWP technologies, A5 Parties are in the position to jump directly to low-GWP technologies, such as natural refrigerants, in almost all sectors.

A short grace period will enable A5 Parties to capitalise on this opportunity, rather than transitioning to high-GWP HFCs that will entail a second costly transition further down the road.

Opportunities to leapfrog HFCs can be maximised by aligning the HFC phasedown with the HCFC phase-out reduction targets (i.e. in 2020, 2025 and 2030) so that a coordinated sectoral approach within the MLF can be taken.

• the HFC phase-down steps should be aligned with the accelerated HCFC phase-out steps in order to allow a coordinated approach under the MLF and to maximise leapfrogging;

EIA urges Parties to ensure that HFC production is phased down in line with HFC consumption to avoid exacerbating illegal trade

• HFC production should be phased down in line with HFC consumption to avoid creating opportunities for illegal trade in HFCs; • clear criteria should be established to govern any future negotiations of reduction schedules;

EIA urges Parties to ensure that HFC production is phased down in line with • consumption reduction steps HFC consumption to avoid exacerbating should closely follow the TEAP illegal trade. TEAP should consider in MIT-3 scenario (i.e. relying on more detail the proportion of HFC low-GWP technologies identified production that is located in A5 and nonby TEAP as available for use in A5 Parties, and whether differentiated A5 Parties). schedules will result in total HFC production being reduced in line with FIGURE 5: INDIA PROPOSAL TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL - HFC PHASE-DOWN FIGURE 6: EUROPEAN UNION PROPOSAL TO THE MONTREAL PROTOCOL - HFC PHASE-DOWN total HFC consumption.

7

INDIA PROPOSAL PROPOSAL • INDIA No action by A5 Parties until 2031.

EU PROPOSAL19 19 EU PROPOSAL • Only proposal with differing consumption/production schedules.

• Encourages unrestricted HFC growth through 2030 coupled with funding for full conversion costs.Parties until 2031 • No action

by A5

• Leaves A5 Parties’ reduction schedule to future negotiation.

• • Encourage Introduces new concept of nationally determined steps. sun restricted HFCreduction growth • Ambiguous on whether HFC-23 produced with as a by-product of through 2030 coupled funding HCFC-22 production is counted toward A5 Parties’ baseline.18

for full conversion costs • Introduces new concept of nationally determined reduction steps • Ambiguous on whether HFC-23 CONSIDERATION OF produced as a by-product of HCFCEXEMPTIONS 22 production is counted toward A5 18 baseline.

SomeParties’ Parties have put forward the concepts of essential • Grace perioduse fornominations A5 Parties of 15 and “exceptional measures” as a years. response to concerns that low-GWP • Grace period for A5 Parties of 15 years.

alternatives to HFCs will not be available in all sectors and for all Parties as needed, particularly countries with high ambient temperature conditions.

While both of these concepts have been utilised by the Montreal Protocol, other tools are available to alleviate these concerns and it is not necessary to include such measures within the adopted amendment at this time.24

• Only proposal differing • Ambiguous on whether HFC-23with produced as a by-product of HCFC-22 production is counted toward A5 Parties’ baseline.20 consumption/production schedules • Leaves A5 Parties’ reduction schedule to future negotiation • Ambiguous on whether HFC-23 produced as a by-product of HCFC22 production is counted toward A5 Parties’ baseline.20

WANTED BY

demonstrate the efficacy INTERNATIONAL Proposals for A5 LAW: of low-GWP HFC-free FUGITIVE HFC-23 parties BY-PRODUCT EMISSIONS technologies, particularly Figure 2 compares the four Since 2009, EIA has been at the vanguard of the international campaign in the refrigeration and AC proposed A5 byParties’ schedules to end fugitive HFC-23 by-product emissions calling for mandatory TEAP’s most recent reports have destruction through national measures or through an agreement under made clear that technically proven, sectors. against the new MIT-3 scenario the Montreal Protocol.

Three of the four proposals would mandate the environmentally sound and cost-effective 21

In addition, the proposed control

future date, those reductions schedules should be governed by criteria on technical feasibility as well as costeffectiveness considerations, with the primary objective being to minimise HFC emissions.

EIA does not support nationally determined steps, as it would add considerable complexity for the implementation of the phasedown under the Multilateral Fund (MLF) and uncertainty in terms of consumption reductions and costs. Substantial flexibility on a national level already exists under the process of national phase-out management plans (HPMP).

The four proposals contain large variations in the grace period offered to A5 Parties, ranging from two to 15 years.

Given the proliferation of low-GWP technologies, A5 Parties are in the position to jump directly to low-GWP technologies, such as natural refrigerants, in almost all sectors. A short grace period will enable A5 Parties to capitalise on this opportunity, rather than transitioning to highGWP HFCs that will entail a second costly transition further down the road. Opportunities to leapfrog HFCs can be maximised by aligning the HFC phase-down with the HCFC phase-out reduction targets (that is, in 2020, 2025 and 2030) so that a coordinated sectoral approach within the MLF can be taken.

EIA urges Parties to ensure that HFC production is phased down in line with HFC consumption to avoid exacerbating illegal trade.

TEAP should consider in more detail the proportion of HFC production that is located in A5 and non-A5 Parties, and whether differentiated schedules will result in total HFC production being reduced in line with total HFC consumption.

Recommendations for A5 Parties: • The grace period for

near-complete destruction of HFC-23 in all Parties beginning sometime between 2017 and 2019.22 Only the India Proposal fails to include provisions mandating HFC-23 destruction.23

EIA believes there is no policy reason to delay the imposition of control measures on all Parties to destroy HFC-23 by-product emissions and therefore urges the Parties to adopt 2017 as the start date within the agreed amendment text, as proposed in the Islands Proposal. The Amendment should also mandate public disclosure to the Montreal Protocol of destruction verification reports.

trial pollution © shutterstock 2015

low-GWP alternatives to HFCs have been commercialised in most sectors.25 This contrasts sharply with the lack of available alternatives to CFCs in nearly every sector at the time the Montreal Protocol was agreed in 1987 that led to the inclusion of an exemption process within the CFC phase out.26

outlined in the June 2015 TEAP report. According to TEAP, MIT-3 assumes that bans on the use of certain highGWP chemicals enter into force in new manufacturing as of 2020, with an average GWP of replacement refrigerants of 300 for both the commercial refrigeration and the stationary AC sectors.

The scenario assumes a sixyear manufacturing conversion period and HFC consumption data are only available from TEAP up to 2030. Data provided for foams is also taken into account, based on previous TEAP assessments.14 The EU proposal differs significantly from the other amendment proposals for A5 Parties, as it envisages a freeze of the combined climate impacts of HFC and HCFC consumption (that is, on a CO2e basis), while maintaining the existing HCFC phase-out schedule. This means that as HCFCs are phased out, there is room for a certain amount of HFC growth up to the combined freeze level. For the purposes of the graph, the EU proposal assumes that HCFCs are phased out strictly according to the schedule.

As can be seen in Figure 2, all four proposals are achievable under the MIT-3 scenario as far as 2030 (the date to which TEAP modelled MIT-3).

The Islands and North America proposals put forward steps that are close to the MIT-3 scenario, while the EU and India proposals are much closer to the BAU scenario.

Both the EU and India proposals rely on the future establishment of a reduction schedule for the HFC phasedown, with the EU proposal requiring Parties to agree a schedule by 2020 and the India proposal allowing A5 Parties to determine national steps five years in advance of each five-year period. To the extent reduction schedules are to be established at a

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Addressing energy efficiency in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment can double CO2e emissions savings resulting from an HFC phase-down

A5 Parties should be short in order to promote leapfrogging of HFCs to low-GWP technologies.

• The HFC phase-down steps should be aligned with the accelerated HCFC phaseout steps in order to allow a coordinated approach under the MLF and to maximise leapfrogging.

• HFC production should be phased down in line with HFC consumption to avoid creating opportunities for illegal trade in HFCs. • Clear criteria should be established to govern any future negotiations of reduction schedules.

• Consumption reduction steps should closely follow the TEAP MIT-3 scenario (that is, relying on low-GWP technologies identified by TEAP as available for use in A5 Parties).

been commercialised in most sectors.25 This contrasts sharply with the lack of available alternatives to CFCs in nearly every sector at the time the Montreal Protocol was agreed in 1987 that led to the inclusion of an exemption process within the CFC phase out.26 In addition, the proposed control measures for HFCs are a phase-down, not a phaseout, with all four proposals anticipating some HFC use indefinitely into the future, varying from 10 to 15% of the baseline. In practice, this portion of the HFC baseline is a built-in exemption that is larger than the essential-use exemptions relied upon by Parties during the CFC phase out.27

It is also possible for Parties to take a “wait and see” approach and address the issue of essential use exemptions as the HFC phase-down progresses, as was done with the accelerated HCFC phase-out agreement.28 In this way, the Parties will not stifle technological progress by relieving the regulatory pressure of the Montreal Protocol, which has almost always resulted in alternatives being made available before the Parties needed to resort to an exemption process.

For these reasons, EIA urges the Parties to adopt an amendment that does not contain essential use exemptions or exceptional measures at this time, but leaves the issue open for discussion in the future.

CONSIDERATION OF EXEMPTIONS

Some Parties have put forward the concepts of essential use nominations and “exceptional measures” as a response to concerns that low-GWP alternatives to HFCs will not be available in all sectors and for all Parties as needed, particularly countries with high-ambient temperature conditions.

While both of these concepts have been utilised by the Montreal Protocol, other tools are available to alleviate these concerns and it is not necessary to include such measures within the adopted amendment at this time.24 TEAP’s most recent reports have made clear that technically proven, environmentally sound and cost-effective low-GWP alternatives to HFCs have

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October 2015

Wanted by international law: Fugitive HFC-23 by-product emissions

S

ince 2009, EIA has been at the vanguard of the international campaign to end fugitive HFC-23 by-product emissions by calling for mandatory destruction through national measures or through an agreement under the Montreal Protocol.21 Three of the four proposals would mandate the near-complete destruction of HFC-23 in all Parties beginning sometime between 2017 and 2019.22 Only the India Proposal fails to include provisions mandating HFC-23 destruction.23 EIA believes there is no policy reason to delay the imposition of control measures on all Parties to destroy HFC-23 by-product emissions, and therefore, urges the Parties to adopt 2017 as the start date within the agreed amendment text, as proposed in the Islands Proposal. The Amendment should also mandate public disclosure to the Montreal Protocol of destruction verification reports.

history and has effectively implemented the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. However, new challenges that will result from the Montreal Protocol tackling HFCs will require innovative improvements to the financial mechanism to maximize the climate benefits of an HFC phase-down.

interest of all Parties and the climate to provide financial and technical support to those Article 5 Parties seeking to reduce their HFC production and consumption in advance of the phasedown schedule. Forty countries proposed to transition from HCFCs to low-GWP alternatives faster than the reduction

TABLE 3: COSTS OF MANUFACTURING CONVERSION (TEAP MIT-3)

SECTOR

Manufacturing Conversion kt

Costs (US$ million)

Costs (US$/tCO2e)

Mt CO2e

Low End

High End

Low End

High End

REFRIGERATION Domestic (HFC-134a)

12.2

15.9

85.7

110.1

5.39

6.92

Commercial (HFC-404A + HFC-507)

38.9

153.7

156

273

1.01

1.78

Industrial (HFC-404A + HFC-507)

3.7

14.6

14.9

26

1.02

1.77

Transport (HFC-404A + HFC-507)

1.3

5.1

7.9

10.5

1.53

2.03

Stationary (HFC-410A)

113.9

218.8

1,253.8

1,481.8

5.73

6.77

Stationary (HFC-407C)

36.4

59.1

401.4

474.4

6.79

8.02

Mobile (HFC-134a)

34.2

44.5

137.2

342.9

3.08

7.69

TOTAL

241

512.04

$2,057

$2,719

$5.39

$6.92

AIR-CONDITIONING

Table 3: Costs of manufacturing conversion (teap mit-3) 9

FUNDING THE FUTURE The MLF is the most successful global environmental financial mechanism in history, and has effectively implemented the principle of common but

differentiated responsibilities.

However, new challenges that will result from the Montreal Protocol tackling HFCs will require innovative improvements to the financial

mechanism to maximise the climate benefits of an HFC phase-down.

Given the MLFâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s track record of success, EIA believes that changes to Article 10

of the Protocol should be approached with caution. For example, in EIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s view, the changes put forward in the India proposal would greatly increase the funding required of the MLF the environmental benefits delivered. However, with the incorporation of climate considerations under the Montreal Protocol, Parties should adapt the MLF to promote energy-efficient solutions. Addressing energy efficiency in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment can double CO2e emissions savings resulting from an HFC phase-down.29 In addition, Parties should request the Executive Committee of the MLF to review its existing policies and procedures to determine

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how to provide additional incentives for and remove barriers to the uptake of lowGWP and not-in-kind HFCfree technologies. Training and capacity-building to ensure safe handling of natural refrigerants, the revision of antiquated standards and codes and adequate pilot and demonstration projects also need to be fully addressed, particularly in the servicing sector.30 EIA also believes it is in the best interest of all Parties and the climate to provide financial and technical support to those Article 5 Parties seeking to reduce their HFC production and consumption in advance of

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the phase-down schedule.

Forty countries proposed to transition from HCFCs to lowGWP alternatives faster than the reduction schedule in Stage 1 of the HCFC phase-out.

An HFC Amendment should be able to accommodate the desire of A5 Parties to achieve a transition to low-GWP alternatives in a single step through the HCFC phase-out.

By leapfrogging high-GWP HFCs and through an early transition into no- and lowGWP alternatives, donor countries will decrease the cost of financial assistance through the MLF in the long term, while providing much-needed additional climate mitigation in the short term.

In its June 2015 report, TEAP provides cost estimates for the MIT-3 scenario,

assuming a six-year manufacturing conversion (see Table 3).31 According to TEAP, approximately 241,038 tonnes of refrigerant require conversion in the manufacturing sector at an estimated total cost of USD 2-2.7 billion, which spread over six years, would mean an amount of USD1,200 Âą 170 million per triennium.32 Considering the GWP of the refrigerants concerned, this results in costs per CO2 tonne ranging between USD 1 and USD 8, representing extremely cost-effective climate mitigation.

The cost effectiveness of reducing HFC emissions, per CO2 tonne, will become still more cost-effective when combined with HFC emissions reductions from the servicing sector.

REFERENCES

CONCLUSION

The growing number of governments submitting amendment proposals and conference room papers in 2015 is indicative of the growing sentiment among the Parties to the Montreal Protocol that the time has come to control HFCs. Moreover, outside of the Montreal Protocol, world leaders have repeatedly called for an HFC phase-down under

the Montreal Protocol. The international chorus of countries can no longer be ignored.

The Parties must give proper consideration in a contact group formed at the 36th OEWG to lay the groundwork for the adoption of an amendment at the 27th MoP. Report courtesy: EIA, an independent campaigning organisation committed to

bringing about change that protects the natural world from environmental crime and abuse.

Agency (EIA). EIA is solely and entirely responsible for the contents of this report.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the Environmental Investigation Agency. This report was produced by the London and Washington, D.C. offices of the Environmental Investigation

Š Environmental Investigation Agency 2015 CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.

October 2015

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UAE makes it to list of top 10 countries for LEED Green Building Remains Middle East’s leader in Green Building construction and design

A

ccording to a recently released US Green Building Council (USGBC) report, the Unit ranks eighth on USGBC’s annual ranking of the Top 10 Countries for LEED. The list ranks countries in terms of gross square metres and numbers of LEED projects to date, the report explained.

USGBC highlighted that the 10 countries that made the list for 2015 are geographically and culturally diverse, representing seven of the world’s 20 largest singlenation economies by GDP (China, Germany, Brazil, India, Canada, South Korea and Turkey), as well as six of the top 11 emitters of greenhouse gases (China, India, Germany, South Korea, Canada and Brazil).

Canada purportedly ranks number one on the list as the largest user of LEED outside of the United States, with 26.63 million GSM of LEED space.

The announcement comes at a time of increased international focus on climate change mitigation in the lead up to the United Nations’ COP21 climate negotiations, this November and December.

The international Green Building market, said the report, is projected to see significant growth in the next 10 years, and the UAE is poised to benefit from this rapid market expansion. The report added that the USGBC’s recognition is timely, since it follows the government’s

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recent announcement that the country’s non-oil related sectors had seen 8.1% growth in 2015.

USGBC revealed that its report comes in the wake of a report from the World Bank in June, which noted that the UAE had seen an unhealthy spike in PM 2.5 air pollution, against the backdrop of LEED’s emphasis on improving Indoor Environmental Quality for building inhabitants, as people typically spend 90% of their time indoors, where air quality tends to be much worse than outdoor air quality.

The USGBC pointed out that the UAE has a broad base of support for LEED across the country, with more than 80

USGBC member organisations spread across the country’s architecture, construction, manufacturing, real estate and retail industries. The UAE also boasts the world’s fourth largest professional LEED workforce, behind only the United States, Canada and China, it highlighted.

“The United Arab Emirates has become an increasingly important centre for the global Green Building movement, a development that will help provide greater environmental health and increased economic opportunity for its citizens and will hopefully help to inspire a robust green building market throughout the Middle East,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. In another news release, Fedrizzi, looking at the global landscape, said: “International demand has grown steadily for tools supporting sustainable economic growth, and it has become increasingly clear that we are reaching a tipping point around environmental sustainability. It is now impossible to view social and economic development as separate issues from a robust sustainability agenda.”

Rank

Nation

Total GSM of GSM of LEED LEED-certified certifiedand registered space (million) space (millions)

Total number of LEEDcertified and registered projects

1

Canada

26.63

63.31

4,814

2

China

21.97

118.34

2,022

3

India

13.24

73.51

1,883

4

Brazil

5.22

24.50

991

5

Republic of Korea

4.81

17.47

279

6

Germany

4.01

8.42

431

7

Taiwan

3.84

9.08

149

8

United Arab Emirates

3.13

53.44

910

9

Turkey

2.95

23.74

477

10

Sweden

2.54

4.20

197

*

United States

276.90

727.34

53,908

*The United States, the birthplace of LEED, was not included in the list, but remains the world’s largest market for LEED. The country is the world’s largest economy by GDP as well as the world’s second largest emitter of greenhouse gases.

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75

Q&AReflections ADVERTORIAL: GLASS INDUSTRY

on glass

Philip Higgins, International and National Sales Manager of Emirates Glass, has extensive experience in the glass industry, both local and international, that encompasses many aspects of the business, including products, production, processing, commercial glass installation, the market and business management. Here he speaks about the sector and how his company has kept pace with the times.

How are you seeing the advancement of Emirates Glass Company in the national and international market?

Emirates Glass is a well-recognised brand in the UAE and throughout the GCC [region].

The products that the company offers provide extensive options for the architectural designer. I am confident that the company will gain greater success throughout the local and international regions. Business advancement must be a continuous process of improvement to product quality, customer service and supplier reputation, and I am confident that we are seeing this in all elements of our business activity.

What is it that your company can bring to the table to compete with the market, both nationally and internationally?

There is a difference between “comparable” and “competitive” advantage, and we aim to provide both values to the supply of our products. With a lower cost of production, we provide a comparable advantage.

I see that the next three to five years will bring need for better products and bigger window sizes, as architectural design pushes the boundaries of processing practicality and capability Being in the field of architectural glass business, how do you see the industry in the UAE at present and in the coming three to five years?

The architectural glass business for the past 27 years of my career has one unchanging characteristic that can be summed up in one word “change”. Technical development of the coated glass industry has dramatically progressed in the past 10 years, and today, there

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is a constant need for more improved products that meet higher performance standards. Architects want more light and less heat to come into buildings today, but they also need diverse options in product choice to meet a broad range of design criteria. being able to meet new challenges in the glass industry will be the success of a company in the UAE industry. I see that the next three to five years will bring need for better products and bigger window sizes, as architectural design pushes the boundaries of processing practicality and capability. but this has been that way in the industry for many years. It’s a change, but change that is constantly evolving to ensure improved project design achievement.

Do you have any product or innovation in the offing?

I love the word innovation, because it ties together three business principles that are very much required in business

today: new ideas, original concept and creativity. Our product innovations are a secret, but I can assure you that any new product we launch will comply with the true meaning of the word “innovation”. To be a successful supplier to the architectural glass industry requires the ability to read future design criteria, but this is different from one region to another. I believe that in the future, we will see a swing back to more colour in facades, and this will require our supply to accommodate this trend, as well as to provide glass that meets the highest performance for fenestration management – that is, increased light transmission and decreased solar heat transmission in building windows.

could you share any principle that would lead contractors, engineers and consultants to partner with you?

Emirates Glass has been an industry leader in the UAE for many years. This

has been an achievement, as the company is not recognised as an international player like most of our competition. We experienced market boom times before 2010 in the UAE, and have been able to maintain steady business growth throughout the times of economic recovery. The future of our company will be based on our years of local experience, and this is a strength that we need to promote more throughout the industry. Our ability to provide a wide range of products is a major advantage for us. These are factors that I am sure would attract closer industry partnership. As a company objective, we need to provide premium service for the supply of our products that goes beyond customer service. I hope that in the next few years, our customers will come to appreciate the level of customer care we provide, as this will be paramount to our continued success. 

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REGIONAL

Al-Futtaim Engineering wins Doha Festival City MEP project contract worth over Qr 500 million signed for works for the main mall

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joint venture between Al-Futtaim Engineering’s Qatar operations, under the name Hamad and Mohamad Al-Futtaim and Voltas Qatar, has been awarded a multimillion Qatari Riyal MEP contract within the Doha Festival City development. Sharing this news through an official announcement, the company revealed that the contract, worth over QR 500 million will see the joint venture undertake MEP works for the main mall.

The project is expected to be completed by 2016.

Located on Al-Shamal Road, Doha Festival City is purportedly the largest mixed-use development currently under construction in the Middle East and, on completion, will be Qatar’s largest retail and leisure destination, and feature the Doha Festival City Mall, as well as a hotel and convention centre.

Dawood Ozair, Senior Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Engineering and Technologies, on signing the deal, said: “We are extremely pleased to have won this major MEP project from Doha Festival City.

This is another big milestone for our business and another opportunity to deliver our highDawood Ozair quality services to customers in Qatar.”

New City Centre opens with sustainability features Features include solar panel lighting, reflective roofing membrane to minimise solar gain and energy-efficient LEED-compliant lights

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ajid Al Futtaim, the shopping mall, retail and leisure brand with presence across the MENA region, has

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announced opening its sixth City Centre mall in the UAE, and 12th in the region.

Named City Centre Me’aisem after its location in the

Tabreed’s H1 net profit increases company completes buyback of bonds

N

ational Central Cooling Company PJSC (Tabreed), has announced a three per cent net profit increase in its recently released 2015 first half consolidated financial results.

Waleed Al Mokarrab According to Tabreed, one of Al Muhairi the operational highlights for six months, ended June 30, was a renewed District Cooling agreement with major customer in Q1 for a duration of 30 years, which set the framework for additional connections to future projects. The company also revealed that the total group connected capacity across jasim Husain Thabet the GCC region reached 953,000 RT, with over 13,700 RT of new customer connections added in the first half of the year, including, 5,000 RT in Oman; 4,800 RT in Saudi Arabia; 2,400 RT in the UAE; and 1,500 RT in Qatar.

Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, Tabreed’s Chairman, said, “As the leading District Cooling provider in the GCC, Tabreed has been steadily strengthening its footprint in its key markets across the region, with almost 14,000 RT of new connections across the GCC [region] taking total connected capacity to almost one million RT.” Jasim Husain Thabet, Tabreed’s CEO, added: “We remain committed to returning consistent and positive financial results, which is exemplified in our first half earnings, with net profits increasing by three per cent over the same period last year, reaching AED 153.4 million.

The first half of the year also saw our shareholders approve a five Fils dividend and the buyback of 28% of the bonds held by Mubadala. The buyback will increase earnings per share and reduce annual financing costs.”

Me’aisem area of International Media Production Zone (IMPZ) in Dubai, the mall, said the announcement, is set to serve an anticipated four million visitors in its first year and more than 11 surrounding communities.

Built on 325,000 square feet of area and comprising 23,850 square metres of Gross Leasable Area, City Centre Me’aisem claims to

feature several sustainability measures, which include, ‘Bionest’ – a water recycling system; the UAE’s first-ever solar panel lighting solution in its parking area; a reflective roofing membrane, which minimises solar gain; energyefficient LEED-compliant lights; and water saving taps. More than 83% of all construction elements have reportedly come from recycled material.

Empower completes Information Security Management System audit Company recertified with ISO27001:2013 for protecting information of clients and stakeholders

E

mirates Central standards company.

Cooling The audit, said Systems the communiqué, Corporation was based on (EMPOWER), ISO27001:2013 has shared the standard, which information involves compliance Ahmad Bin Shafar through an official of international communiqué that it information security has successfully completed requirements, and covered Information Security operations of the company Management System audit at the head office and all its from BSI, the business critical processes.

Ahmad Bin Shafar, Empower’s CEO, said: “The successful completion of audit without deficiencies demonstrates Empower’s stringent policies on safeguarding information of clients and stakeholders.

Empower adheres to principles of confidentiality, integrity and information access and meets Dubai Smart Government’s

requirements of Information Security Regulations.

Empower systems are not only secure but also highly accurate, following the recent launch of Command Control Centre, which monitors the activities of 26 of its 62 plants through an advanced, high-performance smart network.”

Earlier, in 2013, Empower was reportedly certified for ISO27001:2013 from BSI. The company claimed that such certification usually takes nearly three years to implement, but that it succeeded in getting it within a short time.

LEED Gold for UTC Building & Industrial Systems’ Dubai Office Scores in site development, water and energy efficiency, IAQ and innovation

U

TC Building & Industrial Systems has announced that its Middle East & Turkey regional headquarters in Dubai has achieved US Green Building Council LEED Gold certification, making it the organisation’s fourth LEED-certified Rolando Furlong office.

The 30,000 square-foot office, said the announcement, met LEED Gold criteria in a number of areas, including its site development, water and energy efficiency, Indoor Air Quality and innovation.

“Achieving LEED Gold certification underscores UTC Building & Industrial Systems’ commitment to sustainability and green building, both around the world and right here in the Middle East and Turkey,” said Rolando Furlong, Vice President, UTC Building & Industrial Systems, Middle East & Turkey.

John Mandyck, Chief Sustainability Officer, UTC Building & Industrial Systems, added, “We believe that ‘green products must start at a green company,’ and we’re proud to see the Dubai headquarters illustrate this commitment with the sustainable design and performance of its building.

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REGIONAL

City Centre Mirdif attains LEED Gold Achieves Existing buildings Operation and Maintenance certification

M

ajid Al Futtaim has announced being awarded LEED Gold certification for its City Centre Mirdif shopping mall in Dubai.

The US Green Building Council has reportedly confirmed that it is the largest mall in the world to achieve the LEED Gold EBOM (Existing Buildings Operation and Maintenance) rating, which is located in one of the hottest places on earth.

According to Majid Al Futtaim, the initiative required

cooperation from more than 500 retailers in the mall, and that the mall operations team, retailers and brands supported the efforts by achieving targets across 110 category areas, including alternative transport, water efficiency, waste management, green cleaning policies and efficient energy management.

In this context, Chris Dixon, Technical Operations Director, Shopping Malls at Majid Al Futtaim said: “The biggest hurdle was

, YO U R T R U S T E D PA R T N E R F O R YO U R ENGINEERING, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT SOLUTIONS

achieving the energy and atmosphere pre-requisite for energy requirements set by the US Green Building Council.

Working together for 18 months we developed a regression analysis model so that buildings in the region can become eligible for the certification for the first time. With malls open for 16 hours a day, and outside temperatures reaching over 50 degrees Celsius, it is far more difficult to acquire LEED

Certification than other parts of the world, and until now wasn’t possible.”

Alain Bejjani, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Holding, added: “We lead by example by applying international best practices across our entire business operations and portfolio of brands. In doing so we support the economic and social development of Dubai and the wider Middle East region.”

Dubai to add 1,600 more F&B outlets UAE food sales could grow 36% in 2015

A ENGI NE E R ING

EN ER GY

EN VI RON M ENT

Phone +971 4 445 7131, +971 4 447 4407 Fax +971 4 447 4410 P.O.Box 125787, Jumeirah Lakes Towers Tiffany Tower, 30th Floor - Dubai, U.A.E. info@en3solutions.com www.en3solutions.com

THE THREE FACTORS COMPANY

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October 2015

Engineering

Energy

Environment

ccording to a KPMG report, 1,600 food and beverage (F&B) outlets would be added by 2019 in Dubai.

Based on the report, Youssef Jammal, head of hospitality and retail at The H Holding Enterprise, a UAEbased investment group, said that the F&B sector is set to grow 36% by the end of 2015. “Food sales could grow to AED 38.5 billion in 2015 from AED 28.3 billion in 2011,” he elaborated, and claimed, “Our hospitality outlets across the UAE have recorded unprecedented sales, exceeding our expectations for the first half of 2015.”

The projected addition of F&B outlets apparently augurs well for the cold chain and the HVAC sectors.

Carrier signs agreement with 7-Eleven Will equip retail chain in UAE with refrigerated display cabinets of Carrier-refrigerated display cabinets, including Optimer multideck cabinets and Premor island cabinets.

“We are proud to have been selected for this world-class chain of 7-Eleven convenience stores in the UAE,” said Tamas Hajagos, Managing Director, UTC Building & Industrial Systems, Middle East Exports.

“Carrier Commercial Refrigeration Middle East is committed to enhancing refrigeration with sustainable products and processes, and enhancing merchandising through

Arcadis launches new single brand Move to strengthen global positioning in response to changing client needs

A

rcadis, a design and consultancy firm for natural and built assets, has announced unveiling a new brand identity with a new logo, and will reach out to the global market under one brand. The announcement follows two years of investment in joining up its 28,000 people in a single operating model, which Arcadis claimed, enables it to bring the best of its knowledge and technical expertise to clients wherever they need help.

According to Arcadis, the new brand will be adopted across 70 countries in which it operates. The move, it said, will see legacy brands being phased out, including Langdon & Seah, Hyder Consulting, ARCADISLogos and EC Harris, with Callison and RTKL, Arcadis’ architectural brands merging to create CallisonRTKL. Highlighting that the move was in response to changing client needs, Neil McArthur, CEO of Arcadis, said, “Coming together under the single new brand is also an important step in bringing our people together to realise our passion of improving the quality of life and being recognised as the best.”

Wael Allan, Middle East CEO at Arcadis, added: “In the Middle East, we will see our expert teams from EC Harris and Hyder Consulting come together and go to market as one powerful, integrated Arcadis brand. This will help provide a clarity and consistency of approach to our clients, who are already benefiting from our global collaboration.

In the past year alone, we have seen our rail team in Doha, Qatar collaborating with their counterparts in Europe to win the Qatar Metro Gold Line project. Similarly, our rail team in Saudi Arabia is working together with the UK team to design a new transport system in Jeddah, along with an array of other projects and programmes across our buildings, environment and water business lines.”

TK Kurikawa / Shutterstock.com

C

arrier Commercial Refrigeration Middle East, part of UTC Building & Industrial Systems, has announced being selected to supply refrigeration equipment for 7-Eleven franchise stores in the UAE. The chain of stores, the announcement elaborated, has signed a master franchise agreement with Seven Emirates Investment to develop and operate 7-Eleven stores in the UAE, the first in the Middle East region, and will be equipped with a variety

technological innovation.”

Khamis Al Sabousi, President, Seven Emirates Investment, added, “Carrier’s products are in line with the requirements of a leading retailer like 7-Eleven, and will allow us to bring innovative solutions to the region.”

The 4th Annual EGBC Congress early bird registration extended Participants can now register until October 8

T

he Emirates Green Building Council (EmiratesGBC) has announced extending its early bird registration date for the 4th Annual EGBC Congress to October 8 to facilitate registering for those interested in attending the event.

The Congress, being held under the patronage of H.E. Dr Abdullah Belhaif Al Nuaimi, UAE Minister of Public Works, will take place on 20 and 21 October at Dusit Thani Hotel, Dubai, EmiratesGBC informed, with Day One dedicated to the Congress and Day Two for a site visit and workshop.

EmiratesGBC highlighted that with 54% of the world population living in cities and an estimated 66% by 2050, never before has the emphasis on sustainable cities been so crucial.

Posing the question: How do we move from an assortment of green buildings to a fully sustainable metropolis? EmiratesGBC will purportedly andeavour to answer it by critically exploring the research, development, technology, and regulations required to build sustainable urban living environments.

Hence, the avowed theme of the Congress, “Bridging the Gap between Green Buildings & Sustainable Cities”.

October 2015

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REGIONAL

MeeD organises MeNA Water forum Highlights decoupling power generation from desalination and increasing use of TSE

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ENA Water has informed through a communique that MENA Water Forum, organised by MEED, was held from June 8 to 10 at the Sofitel Abu Dhabi Corniche Hotel.

Purportedly the Middle East’s meeting place for industry stakeholders, including government representatives, developers, operators, consultants, contractors and service/solution providers, the conference highlighted key issues facing the GCC region’s water industry, including the decoupling of power generation from desalination production and increasing use of treated sewage effluent (TSE).

Held against the backdrop of falling oil & gas prices leading to an increasing concern about its impact on the water and wastewater sector as well as the construction industry across the GCC states and wider Middle East, the forum reportedly discussed radical changes in the region’s water industry that offer the region the possibility of attaining sustainable water self-sufficiency by the

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October 2015

middle of this century, and the opportunities and challenges they bring for the industry’s supply chain.

Edmund O’Sullivan, Chairman of the MENA Water Forum, in his pre-event comment, said, “The forum, will concentrate on the extraordinary organisational and technological developments that could finally reverse the negative trends in the GCC’s water balance.”

Vice President for Research and Interim Associate Provost at Abu Dhabi’s Masdar Institute, Steve Griffiths, added, “It is now time to bring in new ways of producing water and we are looking at technologies that involve the use of membranes.”

emitech secures HvAc contract for Al Zorah Golf villas Daikin Dx – r410a split ducted units, fresh air and exhaust system to be used for Ajman project by rajiv Pillai | Features Writer

E

mitech has won the bid to carry out HVAC installations for 42 Al Zohra Golf Villas, part of the Al Zorah project in Ajman, UAE. Located along the coastline of the emirate, the project is spearheaded by The Al Zorah Development Company, a joint venture between the Government of Ajman and Solidere international, which has provided the masterplan.

Emitech’s scope of work includes supply, installation, testing and commissioning of Daikin DX – R410a split ducted units and fresh air and exhaust system for the villas. The total tonnage required for the 42 villas is estimated to be 1,300 tonnes.

In this context, Farid Ashraf, Marketing Head – MEP & Solar Water Heating Division, at Emitech, said: “Emitech proposed Daikin – R410a spilt machines, because they are environmentfriendly, energy efficient and quiet in operation. These spilt machines are the result of years of R&D by Daikin, which are highly efficient in its class.” Ashraf claimed that with the use of such systems, there is an expected savings of 15% energy cost.

Phase One of the project is currently under way to deliver, apart from the villas, four marinas, two beachfront hotels and resorts, serviced residential apartments, a golf course, boardwalk, beach club, clubhouse, and wellness centre.

Ashraf revealed that the HVAC installation for the villas has already begun, and is expected to be completed by April 2016.

23 - 26 November 2015 dubai world trade centre

HVAC â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the shape of things to come With mega construction projects visible on the Middle East horizon, the HVAC industry is gearing itself to go smart and green. We bring you a report on top trends, prepared by Josine Heijmans, Event Director, The Big 5 Dubai.

A

s the population in the Middle East grows in number and in affluence, the extreme climate has made heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems an increasingly accessible necessity. As one of the largest markets in the world for private and commercial systems, the enormous investment that is being ploughed into construction projects in the region means demand is on course to build on the growing global need for energy-efficient HVAC systems.

This represents a significant opportunity for contractors and suppliers to the region's existing multibillion industry, especially in the build-up to major trade shows like The Big 5, which takes place in November at Dubai World Trade Centre, each year. The Big 5 is the largest construction event in the Middle East, and last year, attracted thousands of industry leaders from 147 countries around the world. As market performance of innovations in HVAC technologies grows, so does the number of dedicated HVAC exhibitors interested in showcasing their latest products and solutions. The Big 5, therefore, remains a hub for construction professionals to visit and understand more about this increasingly evolving market.

It is also an ideal opportunity to capitalise on regional trends.

HVAC is a discipline of mechanical engineering and is especially important in the design of medium-to-large industrial

There is also evidence that the Middle East is developing a reputation of its own as one of the global pioneers of green construction and, therefore, a new destination for energy-efficient HVAC solutions and office buildings, such as skyscrapers, and in marine environments â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for example, aquariums. This is because these environments have very specific requirements when it comes to using fresh air from outside to create safe and healthy conditions, and to regulate indoor climates, temperature, and humidity. There is also a growing market for residential systems, as people become more informed about the cost benefits

and of their own environmental impact.

In a report published by rnrmarketresearch, titled 'Green Construction Outlook and Trends', more than 88% of industry respondents indicated they plan to adopt green construction products within their projects over the next three years. Fifty-three per cent of those same participants also said that they expect North America and Western Europe to

continue creating opportunities for these projects. At the same time, there is also evidence that the Middle East is developing a reputation of its own as one of the global pioneers of green construction and, therefore, a new destination for energyefficient HVAC solutions.

This is clear from the number of LEED-certified projects in the region, which reached 1,236 just two years ago. Meanwhile, with a strong commitment to supporting sustainability in construction, the US Green Building Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s LEED building rating system is not the only indicator of a green revolution.

Momentum is definitely gathering towards renewable energy in the Middle East, and this is feeding into the market for HVAC systems. Since an efficient system can cut consumption by between 35 and 40%, this brings additional benefits in terms of costs. This is because heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration are considered to be among the single largest energy-consumers in buildings and account for 60% of total energy costs. Therefore, it is not surprising to see governments and contractors adopting better HVAC design standards and technologies.

The industry is also showing that it is capable of maintaining strong growth despite competition from the increasing number of District Cooling facilities being commissioned.

This is potentially positive when considering that the District Cooling industry is growing at 10% year-on-year in places like the UAE and 26% in Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, both industries must continue innovating.

One reason for this is that District Cooling technologies have not necessarily kept pace with the speed with which the industry is growing, implying that some plants are operating the same technology that was in place a decade ago. However, in contrast,

October 2015

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23 - 26 November 2015 dubai world trade centre

HVAC systems are proving highly innovative. In a region where energy demand outstrips supply, we share some insights on how the latest trends support this idea, and what the future might hold for the HVAC industry in the Middle East.

Top six trends in the HVAC industry 1. HVAC will get smarter The one thing that is certain about almost all industries is that things are going to get much smarter much quicker.

HVAC is no different in this respect, and as demand for integration across our increasingly technological world increases, we are going to see this reflected in HVAC technologies, more so than ever before. Smart thermostats that are controlled by mobile devices are just one of the technologies currently being explored on account of their ability to increase efficiency and to cut utility bills. There is also the fact that these and other smart systems will lead to potentially bigger data, which can, in turn, be used to regulate energy supply. The ability to see data can also have a very positive impact on behaviour patterns and lead to the creation of more sustainable energy usage across the board.

2. Mobile applications offer enormous potential HVAC-compatible mobile applications have the potential to transform the way that daily tasks are set up, accomplished, and archived. This is especially relevant in the maintenance and service industries. A number of companies have unveiled systems that link specialised devices to dispatch and central documentation systems, so that technicians can gain quick and simple access to the information they need to perform tasks, with greater ease. Among

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Education, infrastructure, healthcare and residential projects have been identified as top priorities for the Middle East governments, and are also some of the most demanding and challenging environments when it comes to maintaining temperature and humidity

All images taken during previous The Big 5 events

the benefits of these systems are faster response times and easier access to customer files.

Another is the competitive advantage that comes from having developed these applications, which includes the potential to become increasingly competitive and

grow. This can be vital in the fast-paced commercial environments that are found throughout the Middle East.

3. Software will become more connected and multifaceted New methods of modernisation, higher

efficiency, and system control are constantly being introduced around the world, but one thing that will become increasingly important for those who manage building controls, will be the ability to leverage simple technological solutions that are capable of combining multiple actions in one interface, without losing usability or functionality of the various components that are required to produce a more comfortable indoor environment. The idea is, of course, that these systems will eventually be integrated with smart grids and smart cities that are able to communicate with individual buildings and distribute energy supply more evenly across the day and during times when demand is low. For large offices and commercial buildings, this can reduce the pressure on grids, but could be equally relevant in residential units, the majority of which are all vacant at the same time.

4. Demand for HVAC will continue to be linked to the construction industry It goes without saying that the demand for HVAC systems will continue to be linked to the construction industry, and in the Middle East that means big business may be on the horizon for suppliers. According to the latest data on the construction industry, the region is set for sturdy growth over the next 30 years.

The value of construction contracts to be awarded across the region is projected at US$193.65 billion in 2015 alone, and 30 of the top megaprojects in the region are worth an estimated US$340 billion. Some of these developments are still in the design phase, while others are under construction. At the same time, education, infrastructure, healthcare and residential projects

23 - 26 November 2015 dubai world trade centre

have been identified as top priorities for the Middle East governments, and are also some of the most demanding and challenging environments when it comes to maintaining temperature and humidity.

5. Increasing demand for smart comfort control The market for home automation products is poised for strong growth, and according to some forecasts, could reach USD 12 billion by 2020. This is due in part to the level of convergence and synergies being created between technologies, home and working environments, and daily habits.

Economic circumstances, increased awareness and a greater environmental conscientiousness are also likely to be factors in driving growth within the industry.

One piece of research suggests that once people switch, they don’t go back, whether they move house or not. Instead, the likelihood is that they’ll install a new system if the house they are moving into does not have an HVAC system. Companies that are prepared to explore this market early will have the upper hand as it matures and the demand increases.

6. Proprietary controls Expect to see an increase in the number of proprietary controls – that is, systems that are manufactured by one supplier. These have

advantages in that all systems are produced and maintained by the same company and are typically fully compatible.

However, the flip side of this is that once installed, customers have little flexibility or leverage when it comes to maintenance.

It also means, if a product is discontinued, upgrades may be required.

Top six green megaprojects to watch Msheireb Downtown Doha Organisation: Msheireb Properties Country: Qatar Status: Design/Construction Cost: USD 5,500 million The Msheireb Downtown Doha project is a collection of around 100 properties that are part of a major regeneration project in the heart of the Qatari capital of Doha. Fiftynine of the projects have LEED certification targets, making it potentially one of the highest concentrations of buildings to meet the US Green Building Council’s certification standards.

The buildings are being restored to a souq design, and the entire site has been designed to be self-cooling through streets that have been designed to funnel the sea breeze throughout the area.

The shadow that each building casts has also been carefully considered with buildings progressively taller towards the south. In 2015 the Diwan Annex building achieved LEED

Platinum certification, the highest level of recognition for a development under the US Green Building Council criteria.

Kuwait International Airport (Expansion) Developer: Directorate General of Civil Aviation Country: Kuwait Status: Tender process Cost: USD 4,800 million The Kuwait International Airport project is expected to significantly increase the capacity of the existing airport facilities and establish a new regional air hub. The project’s aims include a terminal building that offers the highest levels of comfort for

passengers, while setting new environmental benchmarks for airport buildings in the Gulf.

Its design is rooted in a sense of the place, responsive to the climate of one of the hottest inhabited environments on earth, and inspired by local forms and materials.

The building is planned under a single canopy, punctuated by glazed openings that filter daylight, while deflecting direct solar radiation. It is also targeting LEED Gold certification and aims to be the first passenger terminal in the world to attain this. The large expanse of roof-mounted photovoltaic panels will harvest solar energy, while the concrete structure will provide thermal

Economic circumstances, increased awareness and a greater environmental conscientiousness are also likely to be factors in driving growth within the industry

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23 - 26 NOvEMBER 2015 DuBAI WORlD tRADE CENtRE

mass. The airport will initially accommodate 13 million passengers a year, with the potential to rise to up to 50 million. riyadh Airport Terminal 3 and 4 (Expansion) Developer: General Authority for civil Aviation country: Saudi Arabia Status: Under construction cost: USD 1,390 million The expansion of King Khalid International Airport will deliver a state-of-the-art terminal complex that creates a world-class experience for passengers arriving in riyadh.

This will be combined with the redevelopment of existing terminals that currently serve around 15 million people.

Following which, both new and existing terminals will be seamlessly integrated to meet increasing demand for air transportation links that will continue to drive the world’s 19th biggest economy. by expanding its three main airports in Dammam, jeddah, and riyadh, Saudi Arabia hopes to have a combined future capacity of 140 million passengers a year. Meanwhile, having appointed global architect, design, engineering and construction service provider, AEcOM, as project and construction manager, the new-look airport terminals in riyadh are expected to have an innovative environmental dimension.

bahrain International Airport Development (Immediate Terminal Expansion) Developer: bahrain Airport company country: bahrain Status: Enabling works under way cost: USD 1,000 million bahrain International Airport is another air transport hub that is undergoing a transformation that has become characteristic of the Middle East region.

In line with the airport’s physical redevelopment, the Manama-based airport will also undergo a major transformation when it comes to information and communications technology and the installation of ultralow voltage systems.

Ultra-low voltage systems are a class of microprocessor that is deliberately underclocked to use less power at the expense of performance. They are commonly used where low power dissipation and long battery life are required, and in stand-alone or remotearea power systems – those that are typically off-grid.

Their inclusion within the airport infrastructure will, therefore, have both energy consumption and environmental implications in one of the most energyintense world regions.

The Sustainable city in Dubailand Developer: Diamond Developers country: United Arab Emirates Status: Design/construction cost: USD 299 million With an estimated 500 homes, mixed-use areas containing retail and office space, a 600-capacity learning institute, planetarium, 400-place primary school, country club, equestrian and sports

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centre, and an eco-resort with around 150 rooms split, The Sustainable city has been dubbed the first net-zero city in Dubai. It is also considered to be a first of its kind by Diamond Developers, and is expected to exceed existing international sustainability standards, with 53% reserved for green spaces.

The city is being shaped with the support and the direct supervision of the Government of Dubai Land Department, with the objective of creating an international model of sustainable living, work education and entertainment.

It will integrate urban agriculture to locally produce organic food and use electric powered sustainable transportation systems to move people around the city.

Plus, it will produce much of its own electric power with on-site photovoltaic generation.

W resort Hotel at Shatti al Qurum (Phase 1) Developer: Omran country: Oman Status: Under construction cost: USD 232 million The W resort is a five-star, 287-room hotel set in the heart the upscale Shatti Al Qurum district in the Omani capital of Muscat. The hotel’s luxurious facilities and prime location, adjacent to the royal Opera House, together with an iconic and contemporary design are expected to make the hotel one of Oman’s most sought-after destinations. In addition to a prime location, the designs submitted by developer Omran also include LEED Gold accreditation.

CPI Industry accepts no liability for the views or opinions expressed in this column, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided here.

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October 2015

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GLOBAL

eurammon presents Natural Refrigeration Award 2015 Winners honoured at the eurammon symposium

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urammon has announced presenting its biennial Natural Refrigeration Awards for pioneering research work in the field of natural refrigerants.

This year, said the announcement, the award, endowed with EUR 5,000, was presented in cooperation with Zhongyuan University of Technology in China and the South African journal, The Cold Link, with the winners being honoured at the eurammon symposium on June 25. The winners were reportedly given the opportunity to present their research results at the lecture event.

The award details, according to eurammon, are: Christian Lucas won the First Prize for his dissertation at the Technical University Braunschweig, for work based on a model experiment conducted by the scientist to increase the efficiency of a CO2-operated refrigeration system, in which a two-phase ejector compensated for energy loss at the expansion valve. The Second Prize went to Christoph Steffan for his diploma thesis at the Technical University Dresden. The objective of his experimental study, conducted in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute, was to optimise the

Trane opens HVAC R&D testing facility in France Will validate HVAc innovations in all operating conditions

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rane has announced that its new testing facility located in the production and design centre in Epinal, France, is fully operational.

The facility, the announcement added, will function as a validation point for new product development, enabling the simulation of all operating conditions encountered during the life of HVAC equipment, including the large capacity chillers and multi-pipe units. The controlled ambient conditions range from -25 degrees C to 60 degrees C, with distribution of the air around the equipment under examination, Trane claimed, and added that the facility is able to recreate these conditions in a standalone environment, independent of the outside weather environment.

Tests conducted at the facility will also reportedly provide customers with confirmation that the chiller’s actual performance in customer-specified conditions matches the modelling predictions established during the selection.

“Our customers demand more configurations, tiers and options than ever before, and this facility will help us meet their needs through innovation and development of products with proven performance at the top of the industry,” said Louis Rompre, Portfolio Manager for Trane in Europe.

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From right to left: christian Lucas (TU braunschweig), Monika Witt (chairwoman of eurammon), christoph Steffan (TU Dresden), josef Neuberger (on behalf of robert Hiller, ESaK Maintal)

process involved in making ice slurry. The Third place went to Robert Hiller from the European Academy of Refrigeration and Air conditioning ESaK in Maintal for his bachelor’s dissertation on planning an air-cooled CO2 system.

“Once again this year, many up-and-coming scientists submitted impressive abstracts for the Natural Refrigeration Award,” said eurammon Board Member, Mark Bulmer. The winners won fulsome praise from Monika Witt, Chairwoman of eurammon.

UTC releases book on global impact of food wastage Energy-efficient, sustainable technologies that better preserve food during transport and distribution can reduce waste

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aying that if food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases behind China and the United States, yet, the connection between food waste and climate change is often missing, UTC Building & Industrial Systems has announced releasing a new book in an effort to elevate global awareness of the issue.

Co-authored by John Mandyck, Chief Sustainability Officer, UTC Building & Industrial Systems, and Eric Schultz, former Chairman and CEO of Sensitech, a United Technologies company specialising in cold chain monitoring and visibility, the 182-page paperback, called Food Foolish: The Hidden Connection Between Food Waste, Hunger and Climate Change, reportedly not only calls attention to the issues of hunger, resource conservation and climate change mitigation but also to the social and environmental opportunities created by wasting less food.

The book reportedly reveals a few startling facts: One-third or more of the food we produce each year is never eaten. Meanwhile, more than 800 million people – a population equivalent to the

United States and European Union combined – are chronically hungry. The embodied CO2 emissions in food waste alone represent 3.3 billion metric tonnes. That’s the energy used to produce food that’s never eaten, including fuel for tractors used for planting and harvest, electricity for water pumps in the field and the power for processing and packaging facilities. There's also the matter of the water used to grow the food we throw away, which is greater than the water used by any single nation on the planet.

On the book’s title, Mandyck said: “Hunger, food security, climate emissions and water shortages are anything but foolish topics. The way we systematically waste food in the face of these challenges, however, is one of humankind’s unintended but most foolish practices…. We already produce enough food to feed 10 billion people – everyone today and those expected by 2050.” He urged: “We must implement readily available strategies to avoid food loss and extend food supplies – including energy-efficient, sustainable and affordable technologies that better preserve food during transport and distribution, improved food safety standards and a change in consumer behaviour. When we waste less, we feed more. Without action, the low-hanging fruit for reducing climate change will continue to literally rot before our eyes.”

Schultz added: “The very foods we need to address global nutrition and meet consumer demand are the most water-intensive and require the greatest protection along the supply chain.

Their loss and waste not only intensifies hunger but destroys our freshwater resources.”

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October 2015

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GLOBAL

Daikin offers worldwide free access to patents for equipment using next-generation refrigerant Move facilitates global conversion to HFc-32 for air conditioning, cooling and heat pump equipment, company says

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aikin Industries, Ltd, the air conditioner and refrigerant manufacturer based in Osaka, Japan, has announced through a press communiqué that it is offering companies worldwide free access to 93 patents, to encourage companies to develop and commercialise air conditioning, cooling and heat pump equipment that use HFC-32 as a single component refrigerant.

Daikin’s action is aimed at encouraging manufacturers worldwide to adopt sustainable comfort cooling and heating technologies that use HFC-32, a refrigerant with a lower globalwarming impact than commonly used refrigerants.

According to Daikin, HFC32 (difluoromethane) is a next-generation refrigerant that addresses a range of environmental considerations in a balanced manner. It is a non-ozone-depleting substance, is energy efficient, affordable, is easier to recycle, and has a global-warming potential (GWP) that is one-third of that of R-410A, the most commonly used refrigerant, the company added. Daikin believes that these advantages make it the most balanced

and promising next-generation refrigerant solution to reduce the environmental footprint of residential and commercial air conditioning, cooling and heat pump equipment.

The avoided carbon emission benefits of a transition to HFC32 would be very significant, Daikin said. If all presently used R-410A refrigerant is replaced by HFC-32, the total CO2 equivalent impact of HFCs could be reduced by up to 24% in 2030, compared to businessas-usual scenarios, Daikin added.

“Daikin has been offering free access to these patents in emerging markets since 2011 to accelerate the

Donaldson acquires IFIL. USA Pleated bag filters expected to give customers advantage over traditional bags

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phase-out of ozone-depleting refrigerants, such as HCFC-22,” said Shinya Okada, Daikin’s Senior Executive Officer. “Given the urgent need to address climate change, Daikin believes that this is the right time to extend free access to certain HFC-32 equipment patents to manufacturers worldwide.”

There is no patent that covers the HFC-32 chemical itself, and it is readily available from suppliers other than Daikin. This free access to certain patents allows manufacturers to utilise Daikin’s technologies for air conditioning, cooling and heat pump equipment using HFC-32 single component refrigerant and encourages the global industry

to grow responsibly as well as meet rising demand.

Conversion from high-GWP refrigerants is already under way. Last year, the European Union enacted the revised F-gas regulation* to reduce the global-warming impact of refrigerants. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of revising its regulations that establish acceptable alternatives for ozone-depleting and highGWP refrigerants. In addition, Japan’s Act on Rational Use and Proper Management of Fluorocarbons, which came into force in April 2015, encourages conversion from high-GWP refrigerants.

“Sharing environmentally beneficial air conditioning technologies without royalty payments can speed up environmental gains at a time when fast action is essential for climate protection,” said Durwood Zaelke, President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development.

“Free access to patented technologies sets a powerful precedent for other companies aiming to be environmental champions.”

Companies interested in obtaining access to these patents should contact Daikin Legal, the company said through the communiqué. *EU Regulation 517/2014 of 16 April 2014 on fluorinated greenhouse gases

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onaldson Company, dealing in industrial air filtration through its Donaldson Torit business, has announced that it has acquired a majority stake in IFIL.USA, a manufacturer of pleated bag filters for industrial dust collection. The agreement, with IFIL USA, said the announcement, is expected to contribute approximately $6 million to $8 million of revenue to Donaldson’s fiscal 2016 results.

“IFIL USA is a great addition to Donaldson’s industrial air filtration business,” said Tod Carpenter, Donaldson’s President and CEO. “IFIL USA’s industryleading technology gives customers significant advantages compared to traditional filter bags, including longer filter life, faster filter changes and reduced air emissions.”

Johnson Controls and Hitachi finalise joint venture New entity to commence operations immediately

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itachi Ltd, Hitachi Appliances and Johnson Controls Inc

(JCI) announced, on October 1, the completion of their joint venture (JV) agreement, which they first entered into in January of this year, according to a press communiqué.

Operations of the new entity, called Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning, commenced immediately, the communiqué added.

Giving more details about the agreement, the communiqué said that JCI acquired 60% ownership stake in Hitachi Appliances‘ global air conditioning business – excluding sales and service operations in Japan – while Hitachi Appliances retained the remaining 40%. The latter will continue to provide Hitachi-branded HVAC products in the Japanese market.

The announcement further shared that Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning has approximately 14,000 employees and

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Leading the management team of the new JV, the communiqué revealed, are Franz Cerwinka as CEO and Shinichi Iizuka as COO and President.

“We are very pleased to start operations and are anxious to serve our customers with an unmatched global network of channels and technology,” said Cerwinka. “Johnson Controls and Hitachi are a perfect match, with our complementary product lines, unparalleled brands and rich 100-year histories.”

Adding to Cerwinka's statement, Iizuka said: “I have spent my career with Hitachi and know that combining with Johnson Controls will propel us forward to outperform the competition. Just as Hitachi and Johnson Controls have each made innovation the foundation of their separate successes, innovation will now be the cornerstone of Johnson ControlsHitachi Air Conditioning's success.”

Through a previous OEM agreement, the communiqué said, JCI has begun selling Hitachi VRF systems in North America and recently opened a VRF training centre in Texas.

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Pre-insulated Valve (Valtree)

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October 2015

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ASSOCIATIONS & SOCIETIES

ASHRAE releases Legionellosis Standard Document establishes minimum legionellosis risk management requirements for building water systems

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SHRAE has announced that it has now made available the long-awaited industry guidance on legionellosis in a new standard ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2015, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems.

The new standard is intended for use by owners and managers of human-occupied buildings and those involved in the design, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and service of centralised building water systems and components.

The document, the announcement revealed, establishes minimum legionellosis risk management requirements for building water systems. It also highlighted that Legionella can cause a less-severe influenza-like illness known as Pontiac Fever.

Presidential Member Tom Watson, Chair of the committee that wrote the standard, further emphasising that most cases of legionellosis are the result of exposure to Legionella associated with building water systems, added, “With 8,000 to 10,000 cases of Legionnaires’ Disease reported each year in the United States, and with more than 10% of those cases fatal, it is vital that we set requirements to manage risk of this bacteria.”

ASHRAE informed that the cost of ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2015, is USD 48 for ASHRAE members and USD 58 for non-members.

ASHRAE provides design guidance for tall buildings Based on ASHRAE Research Project 1673

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n light of the fact that tall buildings pose unique challenges to designers and engineers, ASHRAE has announced launching a book titled, ASHRAE Design Guide for Tall, Supertall and Megatall Building Systems, authored by Peter Simmonds, a member of ASHRAE Technical Committee 9.12, Tall Buildings.

The book, co-sponsored by the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, reportedly covers buildings that, for the purpose of the book, are defined as tall (300 plus feet), supertall (984 plus feet) and megatall (1968 plus feet). The Guide, added ASHRAE, has a broadened scope and updated content since an earlier guide published in 2004.

According to ASHRAE, the Guide is based on ASHRAE Research Project 1673, “Revision of the ASHRAE HVAC Design Guide for Tall Commercial Buildings”, and includes appendices with examples of stack effect and wind pressure for four representative climates, energy analysis examples and HVAC design criteria and a systems description for multiple-tenant office buildings.

In the foreword, Antony Wood, Executive Director of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, writes that tall buildings require enormous amounts of energy to move their occupants from floor to floor, exhaust the heat they and their many electronics generate, and provide chilled air or heat to keep conditions comfortable. He highlights, “They require enormous skill and effort to seal envelopes and keep them airtight against the elements and to prevent unpleasant pressure changes as elevators hurtle up and down their lengths.”

The cost of the book, ASHRAE informed, is $98 to ASHRAE members and $115 for non-members.

ASHRAE announces call for papers for IAQ 2016 Conference topic: Defining Indoor Air Quality: Policy, Standards and Best Practices

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SHRAE has announced that a call for papers is now open for the IAQ 2016 conference, “Defining Indoor Air Quality: Policy, Standards and Best Practices”, co-organised by ASHRAE and AIVC, which will take place from September 12 to 14, 2016, in Alexandria, Virginia, United States.

The Abstracts, ASHRAE informed, are due this November 2, and upon acceptance, papers are due February 16, 2016, and added that abstracts can be submitted or more information accessed at:

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www.ashrae.org/IAQ2016.

According to ASHRAE, the conference programme will include keynote speakers, presentation of original peerreviewed papers and invited speakers and the latest in Indoor Environmental Quality control, workshops and panel discussions.

The programme will reportedly focus on current and emerging definitions of Indoor Air Quality and how they are – or could be – implemented in government policies and in standards for the design and operation of buildings and other indoor environments used worldwide.

October 2015

ASHRAE has invited authors to submit papers on the following topics or other topics appropriate to the conference theme:  Definitions and metrics  Perception vs performance  Monetisation of IAQ  DALY (disability adjusted life years) and related approaches  Task performance/productivity  Integrated IEQ metrics  Regulatory vs voluntary compliance for achieving IAQ  IAQ certification programmes  Low-energy/high-performance buildings and IAQ  IAQ in sustainable building programmes

 Interactions: IEQ, climate change, energy efficiency  Monitoring  Sensors and big data  Post occupancy evaluations  Best practices  Case studies with data  Design, construction, operation  Commissioning  Ventilation  IAQ, energy and moisture impacts  Mechanical vs natural ventilation  IEQ and natural ventilation  Residential IAQ standards and policies  IAQ in Developing Economies  IAQ in mobile environments: aircraft, trains, ships, motor vehicles

COMINGS & GOINGS

TROX appoints Faisal Saeed Zaidi Marketing Manager Will oversee company’s activities across ME and focus on improving air quality standards

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ROX Middle East has announced recently appointing Faisal Saeed Zaidi their Marketing Manager - Middle East.

Heading TROX’s marketing operations directly from its Dubai headquarters, Zaidi will oversee the company’s entire activities across the Faisal Saeed Zaidi Middle Eastern region, with core focus on projecting the company’s vision of improving the standards of air quality in the region, the announcement elaborated.

Zaidi, TROX informed, holds a master’s degree in marketing and branding from EBS Universität, Germany, and has more than eight years of local MEP industry experience.

About his new role, Zaidi said, “My appointment by TROX is testament to the company’s future expansion plans in the region, and I am excited to be part of this growth, which will also aim at rapidly enhancing our communities’ quality of indoor air.”

Halton appoints new Group CEO Kai Konola will take charge in December

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alton Group has announced Kai Konola’s appointment as its new CEO, to succeed Heikki Rinne, who is due to retire in the beginning of January, 2016.

Konola, said the announcement, who will enter Halton in December, Kai Konola was the Executive Vice President of Weather Business area at Vaisala Oyj, and member of the company’s Management, and brings with him versatile experience in demanding executive positions in global technology companies.

Mika Halttunen, the Group’s Chairman of the Board, wished Konola on his appointment and warmly welcomed him at Halton. Halttunen also thanked Rinne for his significant contribution to the company and for developing and directing it for nearly 13 years.

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MARKETPLACE

fresh-Aire Uv fresh-Aire Uv control Panel for HvAc systems

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resh-Aire UV has announced the introduction of the Fresh-Aire UV control Panel. According to the company, the product automates the monitoring of UV-c wavelength feedback, safety and efficacy for new Air Handling Unit FAUV commercial Series UV light systems.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • The electro-mechanical 16 (l) x 12 (w) x 8 (d)-inch transparent AbS plastic control box, compatible with most building automation systems, features a front panel hour meter that displays real-time UV lamp life.

• It can send an alarm when replacement lamps are needed or a default is detected.

• It features a red light indicating the UV system’s operational status. An optional radiometer and its LED readout display separately tracks each lamp’s microwatt degradation.

• It comes with a separate electrical panel box connection that houses each lamp’s power supply/ballast that can be remotely located closer to the AHU’s UV lamps, if needed.

• It also incorporates an amp current sensor that sends an alarm if a lamp malfunctions.

• It carries safety features, such as an AHU door cut-off switch and a front-panel reset button.

• It is designed to work with Fresh-Aire UV’s commercial APcO rack System, Tubular rack System, and the Airborne Duct System, as well as other Fresh-Aire UV systems.

• The surge-protected, weather-resistant enclosure can be mounted indoors (NEMA-1), outdoors (NEMA-3r).

Trane rTWD Hse Water-cooled chillers

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rane has introduced the rTWD HSE Adaptive Frequency Drive-driven screw chiller. The move, the company said, is part of its expansion of the rTWD range of new high seasonal efficiency version.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • The RTWD HSE reduces energy consumption by increasing the chiller’s efficiency under reduced load conditions and offers energy-efficiency gains up to 20%, as against fixed speed compressor chillers.

• The new design removes inrush currents, which translates into reduced installation costs and higher reliability.

• The chillers are equipped with an advanced, digital Tracer cH530 controller and features Trane Adaptive control algorithms and proprietary control strategies that respond to a variety of conditions to maintain efficient operation and significantly shorten the response time.

• The algorithms keep the chiller running even during the most challenging conditions, when other chillers would shut down.

• The range offers market-leading Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) and European Seasonal Energy Efficiency ratio (ESEEr) within the various sizes and cooling capacities close to 1,000 kW.

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October 2015

e+e elektronik ee210 and ee160 transmitters

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+E Elektronik has announced the launch of the EE210 and EE160 transmitters. The products, the company said, are designed for highly accurate measurement of relative humidity and temperature.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • EE210 and EE160 come with a BACnet MS/TP interface for easy integration into a network or bus system for building automation and have been tested by an accredited bAcnet Testing Lab for compliance with the global bAcnet standard ISO 16484-5.

• They also include versions with Modbus RTU interface or with analogue current and voltage outputs, all of them freely user configurable.

• The combination of encapsulated measurement electronics and special E+E coating of the humidity sensor makes the EE210 particularly resistant to contamination and condensation, and

BiTZer LH265e air-cooled condensing unit

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itzer has announced developing the LH265E air-cooled condensing unit, saying that the system is suitable for low-temperature applications in countries with hot climate.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and advantages: • LH265E has a cooling capacity of more than 40 kW in low-temperature application.

• It is compatible with single- and doublestage semi-hermetic reciprocating compressors.

can be employed even under harsh environmental conditions.

• The EE210 calculates related physical quantities, such as dewpoint temperature, frostpoint temperature, absolute humidity, mixing ratio, water vapour partial pressure and specific enthalpy.

• The transmitter is available for wall or duct mount as well as with remote probe and with an optional display.

• The EE160 has been developed specifically for use in HVAC applications and is suitable for wall and duct mounting.

• They feature enclosure with external mounting holes so that the enclosure can remain closed during installation to protect them against construction site pollution or mechanical damage.

• It can be equipped with all single-stage, four-cylinder compressors and single- and double-stage six-cylinder reciprocating compressors in the bitzer Ecoline series.

• The double-stage six-cylinder compressors can also be equipped with liquid subcoolers, increasing cooling capacity and efficiency.

• It is compatible with all refrigerants that are authorised for Ecoline reciprocating compressors, including r134a, r404A, r407A and r407F. • Users have the option to equip it with an accessories package comprising a pressure limiter, oil separator with check valve, and a liquid line with filter drier, sight glass and solenoid valve. The condensing unit can also be retrofitted with corresponding accessories.

• It comes with fans in a revised full bell mouth that optimally guides the air stream, considerably reducing noise and ensuring energy efficiency.

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October 2015

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MARKETPLACE

BeTA industries BeTA variable Air volume Box

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s a part of its product and market development exercise, bETA Industries has introduced its Variable Air Volume (VAV) box.

• They are openly compatible with well-known brands of actuators and thermostats, for both standalone and bMScompatible applications.

• With the increasing demand for VAVs in both local and export markets, the VAVs carry a proven track record of supplying for projects where both higher levels of comfort and energy saving are desired.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • With the results of INTERTEK test conducted in accordance with AHrI 880-2008 and ASHrAE 130-2008 and being a member at AMcA & SMAcNA, bETA VAVs models prove quality, performance and assurance from the accredited laboratory.

• BETA product range includes by-pass type models EBP and SDVbP, SDV (Single Duct), SDVE (Single Duct with Electric Heater), cTc (circular to circular Single Duct) and rS & rM (Single and Multi-blade rectangular to rectangular Single Duct).

Honeywell visionPrO 8000 Thermostat with auto-azan feature

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oneywell, observing that mosques often house large and open interior spaces that are energyintensive to cool, making it challenging to ensure a comfortable yet energy-efficient environment five times a day during prayer time across the Middle East region, has launched VisionPrO 8000 Thermostat for mosques.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • VisionPRO 8000 comes with a GPS enabled call-to-prayer feature called ‘auto-azan’, which detects prayer times according to the mosque’s location, and automatically lowers temperatures during crowded peak

times, while saving energy when the building is unoccupied.

• With over 5,000 mosques across the UAE alone, the thermostat for mosques has the potential to save enormous amounts of energy annually across the Gcc and the Middle East region.

• It offers hassle-free maintenance, a cost-efficient solution, and a return on investment within three months from installation.

• It includes dual power (AC/ Dc) functionality, as well as the capacity to operate even when only using batteries.

• For long-term efficiency of the thermostat, its system software and programs can easily be upgraded using SD cards, which will come in handy during special occasions, such as ramadan and Eid, to accommodate extra prayer timings.

• The solution has successfully completed its pilot testing phase in the UAE over the last 12 months, and is now available through distributors and channel partners across the Middle East.

LOOKING FOR REFRIGERATION PRODUCTS?

www.refrigbuyers guide.com

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TrOx TrOx rcs

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rOx recently introduced its run-around coil system (rcS) with a new hydraulic unit. The system, according to the company, can be installed even in hygienically sensitive areas.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • The flow of the water glycol mixture is based on the airflow and precisely set, which helps to further increase the energy efficiency of the entire system.

• The hydraulic unit comes with its own control system, which can be connected to TrOx x-cUbE cONTrOL. It is also possible to integrate the system with other existing control packages.

• It allows Bus communication and conventional communication with the central bMS. • For sizing the run around coil system using the X-CUBE configurator, TrOx has developed a dedicated TÜV-certified software, where calculated technical data are achieved when the system is in operation and, hence, can carry the energy

WeG cfW11 variable speed drive range

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EG, manufacturer of drive technology, has announced adding frame size H variable speed drive to its cFW11 series, which it claims will help optimise processes and boost productivity in high-power level applications.

The manufacturer lists the following product features and benefits: • Available in two versions – covering the voltage range from 380 to 690 V and the power range from 450 to 710 kW in normal operation – the cFW11 in frame size H can control both squirrel-cage and permanent-magnet motors.

• The control panel features a user-friendly navigation and control with programmable buttons.

• Many plug-in extension modules are available for

efficiency label of the Association of AHU Manufacturers.

• It offers heat recovery, feeding of heating energy or of cooling energy or both, with continuous monitoring of the heat recovery function.

• It meets the 2016 and 2018 eco-requirements.

adapting the variable speed drives to users’ needs and are automatically recognised by the device for convenient plugand-play operation. The standard model also features an integrated micro-PLc, enabling users to program their own applications using the included WLP software for relay logic.

• WEG’s Vectrue technology provides precise torque and speed control, accurate positioning and high overload capacity.

• It integrates protection functions with fault and alarm indications, as well as EN ISO 13849-1 safe shutdown – Safe Torque Off (STO) category 3/ PL d – as an optional module.

• The CFW11 enclosure is rated IP20 in the standard version, and an IP54 version is optionally available with through-hole Pcb assembly for the power stage.

• The series supports the Modbus RTU (rS232 and rS485), cANopen, DeviceNet, Profibus DP/DPV1, Profinet, Modbus TcP, Ethernet/IP, Ethercat and bAcnet communication protocols as standard.

The region’s comprehensive online directory for the refrigeration industry TO LIST YOUR COMPANY FOR FREE, VISIT: www.refrigbuyersguide.com/register/

FOR ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES, EMAIL: advertising@cpi-industry.com

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Will the real inventor stand up, please?

It wasn’t one single eureka moment that led to the invention of air conditioners. It looks like many inventive minds dreamed up the idea, often simultaneously, and for different reasons.

Without wading into the ‘who first’ controversy, here’s raising a toast to all those pioneers.

By Pratibha Umashankar, Associate Editor

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o, air conditioners, as we know them, didn’t get invented in one of the world’s hottest regions. They allegedly came into being in New York city. but why? Thereby hangs a tale. And “allegedly” is the operative disclaimer here.

The story goes that the Sackett Wilhelms Lithographing and Publishing company in brooklyn, New York city, had a problem: The papers at the printing plant would contract and expand due to seasonal atmospheric fluctuations all through the year. Especially, the summertime high temperatures and humidity would warp the paper. Also, the paper absorbed moisture from the air, leading to the misalignment of coloured inks, making them “bleed”.

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Sackett Wilhelms Lithographing and Publishing company

In 1902, Willis Haviland carrier, with a master’s degree in Engineering from cornell University, and working for the buffalo Forge company, was apparently called in to find a solution. He figured what was needed was climatecontrolled cool, dry air, and promptly set out to design a machine, which blew air over artificially cooled pipes to remove moisture from the atmosphere. This was later called “Apparatus for Treating Air” (US Patent Number 808897, granted in 1906). carrier’s device is widely regarded as the first modern air conditioner.

In the same year, 1902, apparently unbeknownst to carrier, Alfred r Wolff, a consulting engineer, had come up with air-cooling systems to cool the carnegie Hall in New York city, as also, later, other buildings in the city. It was a ventilation system with blocks of

ice and steam-powered blowers. A decade later, he designed a cooling system for the dissecting room of cornell Medical college. In fact, it was a refrigeration unit that circulated a brine solution via pipes, with air blowing over them to keep the cadavers from decaying.

Finally, living medicos got wise to the device’s other obvious use – keeping themselves cool in summer.

However, prior to this, refrigeration engineer, Gardner T Voorhees was said to have cooled his boston offices for many years, apparently ushering in comfort cooling.

He was supposed to be in charge of the refrigeration plans for the St Louis World’s Fair of 1904. Voorhees drew up plans to cool the fair’s bureau office in a bid to showcase the efficacy of keeping the occupied space cool and attracting more participants.

Predating this, in 1842, Dr John Gorrie, a physician who practised in Florida, realising the curative effects of cool air in the treatment of malaria, is said to have built a mechanical device that used an air-cycle method of cooling air in hospital sickrooms – blowing air over buckets of ice, much as ancient Egyptians did.

He, however, used compressor technology to create ice.

A patent lie?

If the concept of cooling the atmosphere/objects began way back, what about all the framed patent certifications hanging on the ego walls of others making competing claims? A patent generally refers to a concept turned into a workable device/application. It’s not proof of first hitting on the concept.

Many ideas may fall on the wayside, only to be picked up and given shape by someone else. Also, patents themselves are not set in stone. They can be challenged if prior existence of a blue print/device can be produced.

Also, air conditioning, not to mention refrigeration, has evolved and is evolving incrementally over the years. As stated at the very outset, there’s no one eureka moment.

Manufacturing weather On December 8, 1911, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 35-year-old carrier presented a paper, entitled rationale Psychrometric Formulae. regarded the “Magna carta of Psychrometrics”, and the culmination of his work in the field of air conditioning, the document “helped determine the precise correlation between temperature and humidity to create a comfortable environment year-round”. He being invited to the meeting also implicitly recognised air conditioning as a formal branch of engineering.

On December 8, 2011, carrier, the company, marked the 100th anniversary of the document. On the occasion, john Mandyck, chief Sustainability Officer, UTc climate, controls & Security Systems, claimed, “Dr carrier’s development of the psychrometric formulae unlocked the potential of air conditioning for the world.”

And oh, carrier left buffalo Forge in 1915 to form carrier Engineering corporation! That was 100 years ago.

Source: http://www.carrier.com/

Incidentally, malaria means “bad air”.

Dr Gorrie’s “cold Air Machine” earned him a patent in 1851 – Patent Number 8080. Armed with this, he envisaged his device becoming a household name, literally, to cool homes for better health and comfort. but unfortunately, his idea was way ahead of its time.

The doctor who surmised that controlling heat and humidity would curb bacterial growth, and found a way to do it, found no backers for the commercial production of his device. He is said to have died a heartbroken man. but he’s regarded a pioneer in the field of refrigeration for inventing ways to artificially manufacture ice. but hang on. In 1758, Benjamin franklin and Professor john Hadley of cambridge University conducted a breakthrough experiment based on the principle of evaporation as a means to rapidly cooling an object. Ergo, they discovered that the evaporation of highly volatile liquids – for example, ether – could be used to reduce the temperature of an object way below the freezing point of water. And the first concept of air conditioning itself was developed by Michael Faraday, the wellknown british scientist, who in 1820 discovered that compressing and liquefying ammonia, when allowed to evaporate, could chill the air.

Well, this’s just the tip of the iceberg, both literally and metaphorically. We’ll keep chipping away at it.

rEFErENcES (IMAGES): http://thermairsystems.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/100-Years-of-Ac-june-2002.pdf, The following article was published in ASHrAE journal, june, 2002. © copyright 2002 American Society of Heating, refrigerating and Air- conditioning Engineers, Inc. | http://www.hevac-heritage.org/electronic_books/comfort_Ac/20cAc-A1-pioneers.pdf | http://www.williscarrier.com/m/1903-1914.php

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